Tautology in Evolution and Ecology

Abstract

Analysis of a number of popular ecological tenets, including natural selection, competitive exclusion, and parts of succession, species diversity and spatial heterogeneity, reveals that they lack the predictive and operational qualities which define scientific theories. Instead they consist of the logical elaboration of certain axioms. Consequently, they must be termed tautologies. Tautologies may be useful logical aids, but they cannot replace true theories. Unless ecologists are careful to distinguish the two, their confusion may produce a body of thought resting on metaphysical rationale rather than empirical, predictive science.