A proposed refinement to classical Natural Selection, emphasizing that adaptation is not just a passive filter but an active, iterative process of fit-making between an organism (or community) and its environment. It focuses on the mechanisms of adaptability itself—plasticity, learning, niche construction—as traits that are selected for. The theory argues evolution favors not just static "fitness," but the capacity to generate new fits in response to change. For communities, this means valuing structures that enable learning and reorganization.
Example: A software developer community doesn't just survive by knowing one programming language (a static fit). It thrives through Natural Adaptation Theory: it selects for a culture of continuous learning, hackathons (niche construction for innovation), and modular organization that can pivot quickly. Its key adaptive trait is not a specific skill, but the meta-skill of adaptive capacity itself.
by Dumuabzu February 5, 2026
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