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To: r9etb
If sex evolved, how could it evolve without some means of transmissible genetic variation?

Mutations. You're going to get way more variation over time with sexual transmission of variation than you would likely get from having to rely on mutations of self-replicating organizisms. Plus, a successful mutation will spread far more rapidly where there is sex than where there is none. If there is a successful mutation of one self-replicating "female", that mutation can be passed on only to that female's offspring. But if you have a successful mutation in a male, that success can be passed on to a much larger number of females.

60 posted on 07/30/2003 1:52:23 PM PDT by XJarhead
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To: XJarhead
But if you have a successful mutation in a male, that success can be passed on to a much larger number of females.

You're pre-supposing the existence of males. But how you get males and females that can mate and produce fertile male/female offspring? Where does the mating behavior come from?

61 posted on 07/30/2003 3:16:52 PM PDT by r9etb
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To: XJarhead
Yes, mutations. That's why I posted this after reading it. I got to wondering. What effect will the changes in our culture, welfare state, etc, have on our collective genetics?
63 posted on 07/30/2003 3:50:51 PM PDT by I_dmc
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