"Stephen Harris"  wrote 

> > > Genetic drift is a term used to describe the 
> > > physical change in the phenotype.
> >
> > Exactly.  It's an OBSERVATION.
> >
> > > The process described is mechanistic, it 
> > > is physical.
> >
> > It's not a process!  It's an observation.  I 
> > think you are displaying the problem here.  
> > You are employing "process" and "observation"
> > interchangeably.
> >
> > > The process of fixing a trend of genetic 
> > > drift has to be causal.
> >
> > Yes, the "process" is called natural selection.
> 
> Describing the physical change starts with 
> recognizing that there are genes randomly picked 
> during cell division. 

I agree that the genes that are copied from one 
generation to the next are not copied based on 
preconcieved criteria.  (The phrases "randomly 
picked," and "selected by random," are nonsequitors 
that should be avoided.)



> But the idea that two people are likely to share 
> the same birthday at a party is coincidence 
> generated by chance.

I can't make sense of the phrase, "generated by 
chance."  IMO, chance doesn't "generate," anything.  
Chance is a concept.  Not an entity.  Only enities 
can generate anything.



> There is a physical mechanism
> underlying this, cell division,

As I explained above, I agree that the genes that 
are copied from one generation to the next are not 
copied based on preconcieved criteria.  

> not natural selection

In my opinion meiosis is part of the process of 
natural selection.

> which means preferred genes contribute to the 
> gene pool based upon reproductive success of the 
> organism. Natural selection does not have a 100% 
> success rate in transferring its favored genes.

I don't think NS has, "favored genes."

Jim
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