Inheritance is a Surjection: Description and Consequence

Abstract

Consider an evolutionary process. In genetic inheritance and in human cultural systems, each new offspring is assigned to be produced by a specific pair of the previous population. This form of mathematical arrangement is called a surjection. We have thus briefly described the mechanics of genetics-physical mechanics describes the possible forms of loci, and normal genetic statistics describe the results as viability of offspring in actual use. However, we have also described much of the mechanics of mathematical anthropology. Understanding that what we know as inheritance is the result of finding surjections and their consequences is useful in understanding, and perhaps predicting, biological-as well as human-evolution.