Natural reward as the fundamental macroevolutionary force

Abstract

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection does not predict long-term progress or advancement, nor does it provide a useful way to define or understand these concepts. Nevertheless, the history of life is marked by major trends that appear progressive, and seemingly more advanced forms of life have appeared. To reconcile theory and fact, evolutionists have proposed novel theories that extend natural selection to levels and time frames not justified by the original structure of Darwin's theory. To extend evolutionary theory without violating the most basic tenets of Darwinism, I here identify a separate struggle and an alternative evolutionary force. Owing to the abundant free energy in our universe, there is a struggle for supremacy that naturally rewards those that are first to invent novelties that allow exploitation of untapped resources. This natural reward comes in form of a temporary monopoly, which is granted to those who win a competitive race to innovate. By analogy to human economies, natural selection plays the role of nature's inventor, gradually fashioning inventions to the situation at hand, while natural reward plays the role of nature's entrepreneur, choosing which inventions to first disseminate to large markets. Natural reward leads to progress through a process of invention-conquest macroevolution, in which the dual forces of natural selection and natural reward create and disseminate major innovations. Over vast time frames, natural reward drives the advancement of life by a process of extinction-replacement megaevolution that releases constraints on progress and increases the innovativeness of life.