nhamann comments on What is the group selection debate? - Less Wrong
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Comments (16)
Well, yes actually. Some of the debate I've seen concerns whether the traditional inclusive fitness framework and a new multilevel selection framework are mathematically equivalent or whether one is more general than the other, the ease and accuracy of modeling associated with both frameworks, and other assorted technical details.
Still, this post is a good dissolution of a lot of confusion present in the debate. Upvoted.
I don't know too much about the latest in group-selection theory, but I did read a little while back about E. O. Wilson & others critiquing the common view of kin selection from a group-selection standpoint in a paper Dawkins & Coyne did not think highly of.
This was my third question:
Because the answer is debatable, I said "probably not" in my answer instead of no. I'll ETA a link to your comment indicating some disagreement.
I'm not sure here. Look at this paper, for example, in which the author suggests a few points of differences between the two theories and some practicality issues. There doesn't seem to be much concern over what's "fundamental," only over which model is more useful and in which situations this is true.
Edit: Actually, now I'm confused. I'm going to leave the text above, but I'm not sure I agree with it. I'll reply when (if?) I figure this out.