Abstract
Scientists engage in relative significance controversies when they investigate the importance of a cause in producing a phenomenon of interest. In order to engage in these controversies, however, a reference class must be specified. In what follows, I explore how the problem of reference class choice arises in controversies in evolutionary biology. Then, I describe different approaches to justifying choice in reference class. Finally, I explore how the problem of reference class has hindered research on the evolution of senescence and suggest some ways in which progress may be made.
