Goal-Directed Selection

Goal-Directed Selection is the idea that evolution is not random and that it proceeds with a goal or purpose in mind. According to this theory, a species of butterfly might have evolved with a certain type of wing because that wing has the “best” design or function, and any future variations of the wing will be better than the last.

Most evolutionary scholars today do not believe this theory and argue that evolution operates without goals or any forces driving it in a certain direction. According to the theory of natural selection, characteristics or abilities that allow individuals to survive and reproduce in their current environment are more likely to be passed on, but these adaptations are not designed and are not necessarily improvements over previous traits.