Two complementary theoretical frameworks: one on the evolution of selection itself, and one on the evolution of senescence after growth termination.
The Evolution of Selection treats selection not only as something that happens to organisms, but also as something organisms increasingly perform through evolved mechanisms.
Selection takes different forms — physical, algorithmic, and cognitive — that arose at different stages in the history of life and continue to operate together in modern organisms.
DESTA begins with the observation that growth termination changes the fitness economics of adulthood.
Once growth has ceased, the organism remains exposed to predation, disease, accidents, environmental stress, competition, and other unavoidable extrinsic fitness threats. Yet it can no longer substantially improve fitness through continued increases in size.
DESTA proposes that this transition creates the conditions under which sexual selection can maintain senescence.