Koinophilia is a term used by biologist Johan Koeslag, meaning that when sexual creatures seek a mate, they prefer that mate not to have any unusual, peculiar or deviant features. Stated differently, sexual creatures prefer mates with a preponderance of common or average features. Natural selection results, over the course of generations, in beneficial features replacing their disadvantageous counterparts.

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  • Koinophilia is a term used by biologist Johan Koeslag, meaning that when sexual creatures seek a mate, they prefer that mate not to have any unusual, peculiar or deviant features. Stated differently, sexual creatures prefer mates with a preponderance of common or average features. Natural selection results, over the course of generations, in beneficial features replacing their disadvantageous counterparts. Thus, natural selection causes beneficial features to become increasingly more common with each generation, while the disadvantageous features become increasingly rare. A sexual creature, therefore, wishing to mate with a fit partner, would be expected to avoid individuals sporting unusual features, while being especially attracted to those individuals displaying a predominance of common or average features. This is termed "koinophilia". It has, as an important side effect, that mates displaying mutant features (the result of a genetic mutation) are also avoided. This, in itself, is also advantageous, because the vast majority of mutations are disadvantageous. Because it is impossible to judge whether a new mutation is beneficial or not, koinophilic creatures will avoid them all with equal determination, even if this means avoiding the very occasional beneficial mutation. Thus, koinophilia, although not perfect or infallible in its ability to distinguish fit from unfit mates, remains, on average, the best strategy when choosing a mate. It will be right far more often than it will be wrong. Even when it is wrong, a koinophilic choice always ensures that the offspring will inherit a suite of thoroughly tried and tested features. According to Koeslag, Koinophilia provides very simple and obvious explanations for such evolutionary puzzles as the process of speciation, evolutionary stasis and punctuated equilibria, sex and the affordability of males, and the evolution of cooperation,.
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  • y
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  • December 2007
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  • April 2009
  • December 2007
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  • December 2007
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  • December 2007
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  • December 2007
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  • Koinophilia is a term used by biologist Johan Koeslag, meaning that when sexual creatures seek a mate, they prefer that mate not to have any unusual, peculiar or deviant features. Stated differently, sexual creatures prefer mates with a preponderance of common or average features. Natural selection results, over the course of generations, in beneficial features replacing their disadvantageous counterparts.
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  • Koinophilia
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