Are mutations enough to explain natural selection?

Sure, the bird that caught 9 fish would survive just as the bird that caught 10, but that's a positive step. the important fact is that 'bird 10' survives, hence his mutated gene survives. he breeds with the other birds until the gene becomes common among the population. Now imagine, that a few years later, there's a really bad winter, more of the birds with the 'bird 10' gene will survive, hence the average wingspan of the population increases and the popylation has evolved.

well, that mutation was spread among the flying possoms until such a time as it was needed, maybe it was made more advantageous in combination with another mutation which made larger flight spans even more desirable. Perhaps a disaster then killed off a large proportion of the mort short-flighted creatures. There are many possible explanations, but it is quite reasonable to say that each situation during which an evolution occurs is quite unique.

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Originally posted by Fred Williams:

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Gzus: Sure, the bird that caught 9 fish would survive just as the bird that caught 10, but that's a positive step. the important fact is that 'bird 10' survives, hence his mutated gene survives. he breeds with the other birds until the gene becomes common among the population.

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This is simply nonsense. You start by agreeing with Eximius that there is no selective value, then you turn around and say there *is* selective value!

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I am simply emphasising the fact that bird 10 survives. this is the first step. the second step is for bird 10 to reproduce and spread his genes, hence making his genes 'part' of the population (even if only a small number have it). Then, over time, his offspring may have more survival value hence outliving, reproducing the bird 9s and hence the average wingspan of the population increases. The 'trigger' which might make his offspring outlive the others could be a bad winter, a new predator, whatever, but until such a time, his genes have given the population the potential to evolve.I don't see any nonsense there.