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The Dilemma of Dominance

The Dilemma of Dominance The concept of dominance poses several dilemmas. First, while entrenched in genetics education, the metaphor of dominance promotes several misconceptions and misleading cultural perspectives. Second, the metaphors of power, prevalence and competition extend into science, shaping assumptions and default concepts. Third, because genetic causality is complex, the simplified concepts of dominance found in practice are highly contingent or inconsistent. The conceptual problems are illustrated in the history of studies on the evolution of dominance. Conceptual clarity may be fostered, I claim, by viewing diploid organisms as diphenic and by framing genetic causality modestly through individual alleles and their corresponding haplophenotypes. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Biology & Philosophy Springer Journals

The Dilemma of Dominance

Biology & Philosophy , Volume 20 (3) – Feb 21, 2005

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References (69)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by Springer
Subject
Philosophy; Philosophy of Biology; Evolutionary Biology
ISSN
0169-3867
eISSN
1572-8404
DOI
10.1007/s10539-005-2561-z
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The concept of dominance poses several dilemmas. First, while entrenched in genetics education, the metaphor of dominance promotes several misconceptions and misleading cultural perspectives. Second, the metaphors of power, prevalence and competition extend into science, shaping assumptions and default concepts. Third, because genetic causality is complex, the simplified concepts of dominance found in practice are highly contingent or inconsistent. The conceptual problems are illustrated in the history of studies on the evolution of dominance. Conceptual clarity may be fostered, I claim, by viewing diploid organisms as diphenic and by framing genetic causality modestly through individual alleles and their corresponding haplophenotypes.

Journal

Biology & PhilosophySpringer Journals

Published: Feb 21, 2005

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