Evolvability

Evolvability describes the ability to evolve. There is lot of confusion about the definition which are rooted in two main unanswered questions.

1. Which unit is considered to evolve?
2. What is evolution anyway?

Two definitions illustrate this divergence. I found this stringent definition [1].

I feel this is exactly the definition of mutability: Capable of or liable to [genetic] mutation. Why evolvability is defined in connection with an organisms? Why not in a population where evolution according to the classical evolutionary theory happens. Why not in a species or even higher taxa?

An other definition considers the population but includes even the direction of evolution—progress [2].

Fauceir Theory by its analytical approach provides a clear definition as (1) evolvability always is defined relative to the fauceir, and (2) offers a clear definition what evolution is and what it is not.

Therefore evolvability is the capability of a fauceir to evolve to progressively enhance its fauceir content and function, to show progress. It has to be discriminated from mere adaptation and mutability that do not include progress and even improvement, respectively.

References

1. M Kirschner und J Gerhart, „Evolvability“, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 95, Nr. 15 (Juli 21, 1998): 8420-8427.

2. Lee Altenberg, „The Evolution of Evolvability in Genetic Programming“, in Advances in Genetic Programming (M.I.T. Press, 1994), 47-74.