exam 1 (26/30) Flashcards
According to Elliott Sober, which of the following is a correct statement about intelligent design versus evolution?
Intelligent design is a testable hypothesis insofar as it can make predictions about what the world should be
True statement about evolution
Evolution does not always lead to complexity (it select against it)
The Panda’s thumb (6th digit developed from the sesamoid bone in the hand) and the human thumb represent an example of
Convergent evolution (different lineage with traits that look alike)
According to Elliott Sober, what is the unit of selection?
The level of biological organization where sorting takes place (can be any level)
A polymorphism in a promoter region of a gene for a neurotransmitter receptor might directly produce which of the following
Changes in amount of messenger RNA
Referring to the tropical spider in question 10, which of the following is the most reasonable explanation that Elliott Sober might give for how natural selection might have led to female biased sex ratio in the spiders
Group level selection favored female biased sex ratio since groups with mostly females were more productive (i.e. produced more individuals that founded more groups), and thus out-competed other groups with lower proportions of females
Which of the following is a likelihood statement?
The probability of observing a spherical earth from a telescope in space if we assume that the earth is spherical is much higher than if we assume the earth is flat (probability goes with the assumption, not the facts we can observe)
Many fish school together in large groups as a strategy to avoid predation. They move together in unison according to strict rules and display an impressive level of cooperation by any definition. Is the schooling behavior an example of altruism?
False: selection mechanisms involved
Referring to the schooling fish in question 15, which level of selection may have contributed to the evolution of schooling behavior according to Elliott Sober
All of the following:
- Individual selection since fish that associate with schools have higher survival than fish that do not.
- Group selection since larger more cohesive schools out-survive smaller less cohesive schools
- Species selection since species that school resist extinction as compared to species that do not school
Which of the following statements about the evolution of sterile castes in insects would Richard Dawkins most likely endorse?
Alleles for sterile castes evolve in service of the allele not the individual bee. Sterile castes workers pass on their genes through the queen’s offspring.
Which of the following statements about the evolution of sterile castes in insects would Elliott Sober most likely endorse?
Sterile castes in insects represents a true case of altruism in which individual bees are behaving in ways that decrease their own fitness for the benefit of the group. The system evolved by multi-level selection, especially group selection, since the productivity of the group increases when the workers all cooperate.
True or False: Evolution is a linear process that eventually leads to complexity
False
True or False: Humans and corn share a common ancestor
True
True or False: According to Elliott Sober, the big difference between Intelligent Design as compared to evolutionary explanations for the origin of life is that intelligent design hypothesis are not testable, whereas evolutionary hypotheses are testable using the likelihood framework.
False (it’s the falsifiable part…?)
True or False: Dawkins uses the crew analogy to show how selection at the level of the individual is really selecting the best genes, since the boats (individuals) race against each other but only boats with the best rowers (genes) win the races the majority of the time
True
True or False: According to Elliott Sober, Intelligent Design hypothesis are arbitrary since nobody can talk to God, so everyone can come up with their own subjective version, whereas evolutionary hypothesis are constrained by scientific evidence and progress.
True
Embryonic development is remarkably similar across vertebrate taxa. Which of the following is the most reasonable conclusion?
The similarity is most likely a result of conserved evolution
Dawkins coined the term “extended phenotype” to refer to which phenomenon that he says occurs:
A gene can increase the chance that it passes on to the next generation by influencing the environment. For example, termites build a mound that services generations of termites.
True or False: Dawkins says one reason risk for cancer and other diseases increases in old age is that there is no selection to prevent late-acting deleterious alleles from occurring, e.g. an allele that boosts immune response during reproductive years but then subsequently increases risk of cancer will not be selected against.
True
True or False: Dawkins believes it is theoretically possible to increase maximum lifespan of humans by preventing reproduction before the age of 40 years old
True
True or False: Dawkins believes sex evolved for the good of the species
False
True or False: Elliott Sober believes that selection can occur at the level of the gene, individual, or group, but not the species or clade.
False
True or False: Vampire bats share their food with unrelated individuals in the colony, but only if they reciprocate, i.e., if individual A shares with B, then B shares with A, and if A does not share with B, then B does not share with A. Elliott Sober would consider this a case of true altruism that would require group selection to evolve as an evolutionary adaptation.
False
