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arXiv:1703.04184q-bio.PE

An Evolutionary Theory for the Variability Hypothesis

Theodore P. Hill

Abstract

An elementary biostatistical theory based on a selectivity-variability principle is proposed to address a question raised by Charles Darwin, namely, how one sex of a sexually dimorphic species might tend to evolve with greater variability than the other sex. Briefly, the theory says that if one sex is relatively selective then from one generation to the next, more variable subpopulations of the opposite sex will generally tend to prevail over those with lesser variability. Moreover, the perhaps less intuitive converse also holds: if a sex is relatively non-selective, then less variable subpopulations of the opposite sex will prevail over those with greater variability. This theory requires certain regularity conditions on the distributions, but makes no assumptions about differences in means between the sexes, nor does it presume that one sex is selective and the other non-selective. Two mathematical models of the selectivity-variability principle are presented: a discrete-time one-step probabilistic model of short-term behavior with an example using normally distributed perceived fitness values; and a continuous-time deterministic model for the long-term asymptotic behavior of the expected sizes of the subpopulations with an example using exponentially distributed fitness levels.

arXiv comments
39 pages; added multiple references to Appendix;
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
q-bio.PEPopulations and Evolution

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Linked by 9 identifiable commenters in 9 comments across 5 threads, from Sep 2018 to Jul 2022. Found in 1 HN submission from Sep 2018 to Sep 2018. Open submission discussions.

Comments linking this paper, per year.

Discussed in comments5 threads

  1. University Profs' Criticism Led to Retraction of Math Paper on Gender (2018) 1 comment
  2. Why Sex? Biologists Find New Explanations 1 comment

    • > Greater male variance in humans has nothing to do with ... the the evolutionary benefits of sexual reproduction https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.04184

      microcolonelView on HNParent context

  3. The Socratic Method in an Age of Trauma (2017) [pdf] 1 comment

    • IANAL, and so have no opinion on the merits of her article. However, I have concerns about "topics that are 'too hot to handle'" in the sciences. For example, a recent thread[0] about Hill (2017) An elementary mathematical theory for the variability hypothesis.[1,2,3] And by the…

      mirimirView on HNParent context

  4. Has an uncomfortable truth been suppressed? 1 comment

    • Theodore Hill (the paper's author) wrote about his side on https://quillette.com/2018/09/07/academic-activists-send-a-p... Somewhere in the middle he linked to the paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1703.04184.pdf From there you can get to its abstract page that also carries the…

      pgeorgiView on HNParent context

  5. Academic Activists Send a Published Paper Down the Memory Hole 5 comments

    • Direct arxiv link to the preprint in question: https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.04184 Kudos to the author for being brave enough to detail these events. Academia and the process of science has enough blind spots without needing activists in the mix to add their own. >“Several…

      DanAndersenView on HNParent context

    • The paper seems to have some egregious and basic errors. Take a look at the paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1703.04184.pdf On page 2, it says (in discussing Special Case 1): "If sex A is relatively selective and will mate only with the top most desirable quarter of sex B, then all…

      brenschlussView on HNParent context

    • Skim the preprint https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.04184 , especially section 7. The article is not fit for publication in a mathematical journal, it is cosplaying as math. To cite: > The following simple proposition may be well known, but since no reference is known to the author, a…

      leiroighView on HNParent context

    • The process, as told by the author, was that one of the editors invited to submit, and three weeks later it was published upon which the rest of the editorial board took notice and threatened resignation. By that telling it was published practically on the spot, especially for…

      thraway180306View on HNParent context

    • Interestingly, this has changed over the various versions. In v1 on arXiv, this statement is presented without proof (as Example 2.2). In v3, it is Example 3.3 and has received an extra sentence with a proof hint. In v5 (and still in v7 which is current) it has turned into a…

      DominikPetersView on HNParent context

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