On 19/10/2019 11:45, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 19/10/2019 11:33, Max Demian wrote:
Since 'fitness' is defined as the ability to survive, "survival of the
fittest" is a tautology.
No. Fitness is not defined as the ability to survive. It is a word which
means apt, or suitable.

For what purpose is not stated.

For the purpose of leaving more offspring.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitness_(biology)

'The term "Darwinian fitness" can be used to make clear the distinction
with physical fitness. Fitness does not include a measure of survival or
life-span; Herbert Spencer's well-known phrase "survival of the fittest"
should be interpreted as: "Survival of the form (phenotypic or
genotypic) that will leave the most copies of itself in successive
generations."'

Of course, Darwin's tome does more than enunciate the phrase, "Only the
fittest shall survive" - in fact I don't think the phrase occurs there
at all.

--
Max Demian