   The first flavor, “empirical” adaptationism, is the view that natural selection is ubiquitous, free from constraints, and provides a sufficient explanation for the evolution of most traits, which are “locally” optimal, that is, the observed trait is superior to any alternative that does not require “redefining” the organism (Orzack and Sober 1994a). This is a claim about the realized influence of natural selection on the evolution of traits as compared to other evolutionary influences.