Question

Which of the following statements is true about parsimony?

O A Research confirms that evolution always takes the most parsimonious path.
O Parsimony is the only method that can be used to infer phylogeny.
O The principle of parsimony states that the simplest explanation is most likely to be correct.
O Parsimony is a guide to choosing hypotheses, not a scientific law.

Answer 1

The principle of parsimony in biology is a method for inferring phylogeny that assumes the simplest explanation, or the one with the fewest evolutionary events, is most likely to be correct and is used in constructing phylogenetic trees.

Step-by-step explanation:

The true statement about parsimony is that "The principle of parsimony states that the simplest explanation is most likely to be correct." In the context of biology, maximum parsimony is used as a method for inferring phylogeny. This involves finding the simplest and most straightforward evolutionary pathway, with the fewest major events, that aligns with the available evidence. Maximum parsimony assumes that organisms with many shared traits are more likely to have a common ancestor, and it seeks to determine the order in which evolutionary events occurred that led to these shared traits. This is a guiding hypothesis that is not considered an absolute scientific law but rather a useful tool in constructing phylogenetic trees.

The principle of parsimony states that the simplest explanation is most likely to be correct. It is a guide to choosing hypotheses rather than a scientific law. For example, in constructing phylogenetic trees, scientists look for the tree with the fewest character reversals, independent character changes, and character changes overall, as these paths are considered the simplest and most straightforward.