slevesque writes:If I'm not mistaken the number of mutations fixed by selection is quite small compared to genetic drift.
I'm not sure if this is settled. Actually, I'm not even sure that the terminology is settled.
As far as I know, it is combinations of genes that are most important. Traits may depend on many genes. The mutations add variation to the population. Then the filter of natural selection acts on that variation.
My example of music was admittedly an extreme case, intended for emphasis. But the point is that you have randomness that is fed into a filter. In our normal way of talking, we don't use "accident" when there is a directional filter.
Jesus was a liberal hippie