Understanding Ontogenetic Depth, Part II: Natural Selection Is a Harsh Mistress

Longer post today. Bear with me. [For a little background, be sure to read Understanding Ontogenetic Depth, Part I.]

1. What Does "Traversing Ontogenetic Depth" Mean?

Let's look again at Toy Organism Alpha. Figure 1 depicts a complete cell lineage -- "complete" in the sense that the starting point is a single cell, and the end point, a reproductively capable adult. Adults, by definition, can produce the specialized cells (gametes), which, when fertilized, start the whole process of cell...