Natural selection

Charles Darwin's mechanism for evolution; The idea that certain traits are preserved due to the selective advantage they provide to their holder, allowing the individual to leave more offspring than individuals without the trait(s).

The principle of natural selection operates independently of the cause of speciation. Whether caused by random genetic mutation or Intelligent Design is irrelevant.

Natural selection can be expressed as the following general algorithm:

1. IF there are variations between entities, and
2. IF these variations are heritable, and
3. IF one variant is more successful at a given task, and
4. IF that relative success allows more copies of the entity to be passed on to the next generation,
5. THEN selection will produce change over time (Evolution!)

Note that the above algorithm is made with no explicit reference to biological entities. Thus, a form of natural selection could occur in the non-biological realm. Note also that this formulation does not rule out selection occurring at all biological levels (e.g. gene, organism, group).

Darwin first outlined his theory in two unpublished manuscripts written in 1842 and 1844 and more fully developed it for publication in The Origin of Species, especially Chapter 4.

See also; [artifical selection]?, sexual selection, evolution