Nick,
You stated that symbiosis is not part of natural selection, and that
natural selection is pure competition.
I am probably missing a subtle point here, and you probably know a lot
more about this than i do. however, in "The Beak of the Finch" there are
well-documented stories of evolving physical characteristics that are in
response to the need to use available resources -- food -- effectively.
No competition was involved, but evolution occurred.
Symbiosis is easy to overlook, but it -- and catalysis (see Kauffman) --
is actually everywhere. This also may not be about natural selection, but
it sure is about evolution. Think, for example, about mammals using
oxygen, replacing with carbon dioxide, which feeds trees, which in turn
create more oxygen. Obviously not a direct connection, but take out a
link anywhere, and the system begins to falter... Is that symbiosis?
--Rol Fessenden
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>