Gould and Lewontin 1979. Spandrels and adaptationist programme

“Great is the power of steady misinterpretation”

1. What are spandrels? What is a biological example of a “spandrel”? Why did the authors use spandrels to make their initial point?

3. What are the main ideas of the adaptationist programme with respect to:

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  Natural selection
  
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  Constraints on selection
  
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    What are the differences between phyletic and developmental constraints?
    
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  Integration of parts or an organism
  
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  Trade-offs (first define what this is)
  

4. What do the authors say about Darwin’s thoughts on this matter?

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  Genetic Drift:
  

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  Selection on something correlated to the trait you are interested in:
  

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  Phenotypic plasticity
  

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  Alternative adaptive peaks
  

6. So you pick up a snail. It’s shell is bright yellow and very hard. These are two traits of the shell.

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  First, pretend you are Dr. Pangloss. Explain the existence of these two traits (Pangloss was a teacher of "metaphysico-theologico-cosmo-codology”, according to Voltaire).
  
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  Second, pretend you are a biologist who thinks that N.S. is really important (Gould and Lewontin would not like you). Explain the existence of these two traits.
  
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  Third, pretend you are Gould and Lewontin and explain the existence of these two traits.