I think that while the subject matter of evolution remains a topical controversy -- thanks to the
creationist work of the intelligent design crowd -- it would be a good time to determine how well the readers/contributors/lurkers and trolls at Daily Kos understand Darwin's seminal idea of Natural Selection.
As someone who has taught the subject at the graduate school level (albeit, to psychologists, not biologists), I have often been amazed at the level of knowledge and ignorance on the subject. So, in the cause of intellectual honesty and preparation for political/polemical battle, I offer the following small test.
See below:
What follows are five definitions of natural selection. They are labelled A through E.
All you have to do is mark the correct choice from among the selections below... multiple choice...just like when you were taking the SATs!
A) Natural selection means gene choice within organisms.
B) Natural selection means the random generation of genetic mutation, followed by environmental selection of the best genetic types, and the perpetuation of this selection by sexual reproduction. It has nothing to do, per se, with the so-called "struggle for existence".
C) Natural selection means the random generation of genetic mutation, followed by the stuggle of organisms with the conditions of existence, bringing about the perpetuation of such traits in organisms who carry such traits (or genes) favorable to the survival of these organisms in the struggle for existence.
D) Natural selection means the random generation of genetic mutation, except in special cases when genetic mutation is made favorable or pre-selected by certain processes, either supra-natural, or natural, but not understood yet. This is followed by the stuggle of organisms with the conditions of existence, bringing about the perpetuation of such traits in organisms who carry such traits (or genes) favorable to the survival of these organisms in the struggle for existence.
E) Natural selection refers to the selection by nature of the fittest races, leading to classifications within humanity based on genetic, but not political, inqualities.
Check back! Answer will be given tomorrow morning. (I didn't say the quiz wouldn't be hard.)
Update: DON'T READ FURTHER IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE POLL.
Okay, I was going to wait until tomorrow to post the "answer", but instead I am going to give it now (11:05 pm, PDT), because many reading this may soon be going to bed, and are owed the answer. Also, there have been now around 100 voters, enough to give a good reading of the Daily Kos frequencies.
First let me say that I am very pleased at the level of discourse on this subject, and that we have some very intelligent people at Daily Kos. Even those who I feel got the answer "wrong" often had good arguments. And not a few rightly criticized me for my "sloppy" writing of the questions. But then, doesn't that too remind you of your glorious college days?
Anyway, I wrote it to have C as the correct answer. Consider it the answer with the best fit. It misses one important aspect of the definition of natural selection, as badger noted below. C lacks a statement that traits/genes (or really distribution of gene frequencies or alleles) are perpetuated over generations, that the traits become fixed in the population, i.e., that creatures thereby evolve. I guess I thought it was implicit in the word "perpetuation". -- About 50% chose this answer.
B is a close second, but is incorrect in its insistence on sexual reproduction, and it's negation of selection pressures, as exemplified by the expression "struggle for existence". -- A little over a quarter chose this answer.
A is really gobbedy-gook. (I don't think anyone chose this answer.) D is essentially a sophisticated rendition of the intelligent designer position, as the U.S. 19th century biologist Asa Gray held it, viz. that God placed some or all of the variations that natural selection worked on (took out, that is, all the godless randomness of it). -- 10-15% went with D as the answer. E is a social Darwinist simplification. It was pulling about 5% last I looked.
Anyway, thanks for all who contributed and tried this out, and for any more who make the attempt. Good discussion, all!