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The Idle Theory of Evolution
The Survival of the Idlest
All living creatures have to work to stay alive. Some have to work harder than others to stay alive. Those creatures that need do little work to stay alive are more likely to survive periods of difficulty than those that must work longer.
The Idle Theory of Evolution is a slight variant of the Darwinian theory of natural selection. Darwin's struggle for existence becomes simply hard work. The fittest are the most idle creatures, not the strongest or fastest or most rapidly reproducing.
The Idle Theory of Evolution is explored in a number of linked (and uneven) essays. Some deal with general issues. Others include simulation models, or the results of simulations. This index attempts to group together those essays which share a common theme.
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Introduction
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Preface. An overview of the Idle theory of evolution.
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The Idle Life model. A description of the simple physical model of life used in Idle Theory.
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Slow Burn Fire. What is Life? Life as slow-burning fire.
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Idle Theory as Malthusian and anti-Darwinian.
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Idle Theory
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1. Idle Cell Life A mechanistic account of cell growth and division.
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2. Idle Cell Populations Population growth in energy streams and pools.
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3. Multicellular lifeforms Coercive and cooperative multicellular life.
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Simulation Models
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The IdleLife (Java) simulation model shows an initial wide diversity of reproducing creatures being reduced to a few varieties with high populations, with the intermediates extinct.
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Silken Fetters. IdleSpider (Java) web builder simulation
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Stream-fed Populations. The Malthus Java simulation model. Populations of grazers feeding in a nutrient stream demonstrate S-curve growth to a maximum.
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Pool-fed Populations The Malthus Java simulation model. Populations of grazers feeding from a pool of nutrients are shown to oscillate.
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Predation. The Malthus Java simulation model. Predators are introduced into a pool-feeding population to attempt to restrict grazer populations. A variety of population behaviour results
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The Tetra simulation model. QuickBasic model of omnivore 'tetrapod' populations feeding on a homogeous photosynthetic soup. Predation results in long periods of population near-stability.
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Comments on the models. Discusses the Malthus and Tetra simulation models.
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Reproduction
Idle Theory is a physical model of life in which metabolism is primary. Genetically-trained biologists, by contrast, always seem to equate life with reproduction.
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The reproductive Imperative 1 suggests that biologists may equate life with reproduction because microbiological practice is to determine whether cultures are alive if they are able to reproduce.
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The Reproductive Imperative 2 contrasts Francois Jacob's view that life is above all reproductive life with James Lovelock's view that living creatures maintain their integrity.
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Kin Recognition asks how genetically related creatures can recognize their kin if they don't have gene comparators or 'sensors' to tell them.
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Sex as Counter-reproductive argues that the many complications of sexual reproduction evolved to reduce reproduction, and to give the creatures the ability change their reproduction rates by varying the ratio of sexes.
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The Ministry of Silly Walks. Richard Dawkins' explanation of human bipedalism and human braininess.
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Darwinism
While Idle Theory accepts natural selection, it does not accept Darwin's portrayal of evolution as a competitive struggle for existence, or , as Darwin put it, a "war of nature".
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Index
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General Essays
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Fossil Beach. Belemnites in Lyme bay.
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The fossil record. The lack of intermediates in the fossil record.
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Human Life
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Index of essays on human life.
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