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This book is about evolutionary theory. It deals with aspects of
its history to focus upon explanatory structures at work in the
various forms of evolutionary theory - as such this is also a work
of philosophy. Its focus lies on recent debates about the Modern
Synthesis and what might be lacking in that synthesis. These claims
have been most clearly made by those calling for an Extended
Evolutionary Synthesis. The author argues that the difference
between these two positions is the consequence of two things.
First, whether evolution is a considered as solely a population
level phenomenon or also a theory of form. Second, the use of
information concepts. In this book Darwinian evolution is
positioned as a general theory of evolution, a theory that gave
evolution a technical meaning as the statistical outcome of
variation, competition, and inheritance. The Modern Synthesis (MS)
within biology, has a particular focus, a particular architecture
to its explanations that renders it a special theory of evolution.
After providing a history of Darwinian theory and the MS, recent
claims and exhortations for an Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
(EES) are examined that see the need for the inclusion of
non-genetic modes of inheritance and also developmental processes.
Much of this argument is based around claims that the MS adopts a
particular view of information that has privileged the gene as an
instructional unit in the emergence of form. The author analyses
the uses of information and claims that neither side of the debate
explicitly and formally deals with this concept. A more formal view
of information is provided which challenges the EES claims about
the role of genes in MS explanations of form whilst being
consilient with their own interests in developmental biology. It is
concluded that the MS implicitly assumed this formal view of
information whilst using information terms in a colloquial manner.
In the final chapter the idea that the MS is an informational
theory that acts to corral more specific phenomenal accounts, is
mooted. As such the book argues for a constrained pluralism within
biology, where the MS describes those constraints.
This book is reflecting upon core theories in evolutionary biology
- in a historical as well as contemporary context. It exposes the
main areas of interest for discussion, but more importantly draws
together hypotheses and future research directions. The Modern
Synthesis (MS), sometimes referred to as Standard Evolutionary
Theory (SET), in evolutionary biology has been well documented and
discussed, but was also critically scrutinized over the last
decade. Researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds have
claimed that there is a need for an extension to that theory, and
have called for an Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES). The book
starts with an introductory chapter that summarizes the main points
of the EES claim and indicates where those points receive treatment
later in the book. This introduction to the subjects can either
serve as an initiation for readers new to the debate, or as a guide
for those looking to pursue particular lines of enquiry. The
following chapters are organized around historical perspectives,
theoretical and philosophical approaches and the use of specific
biological models to inspect core ideas. Both empirical and
theoretical contributions have been included. The majority of
chapters are addressing various aspects of the EES position, and
reflecting upon the MS. Some of the chapters take historical
perspectives, analyzing various details of the MS and EES claims.
Others offer theoretical and philosophical analyses of the debate,
or take contemporary findings in biology and discuss those findings
and their possible theoretical interpretations. All of the chapters
draw upon actual biology to make their points. This book is written
by practicing biologists and behavioral biologists, historians and
philosophers - many of them working in interdisciplinary fields. It
is a valuable resource for historians and philosophers of biology
as well as for biologists. Chapters 8, 20, 22 and 33 are available
open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License via link.springer.com.
This book is about evolutionary theory. It deals with aspects of
its history to focus upon explanatory structures at work in the
various forms of evolutionary theory - as such this is also a work
of philosophy. Its focus lies on recent debates about the Modern
Synthesis and what might be lacking in that synthesis. These claims
have been most clearly made by those calling for an Extended
Evolutionary Synthesis. The author argues that the difference
between these two positions is the consequence of two things.
First, whether evolution is a considered as solely a population
level phenomenon or also a theory of form. Second, the use of
information concepts. In this book Darwinian evolution is
positioned as a general theory of evolution, a theory that gave
evolution a technical meaning as the statistical outcome of
variation, competition, and inheritance. The Modern Synthesis (MS)
within biology, has a particular focus, a particular architecture
to its explanations that renders it a special theory of evolution.
After providing a history of Darwinian theory and the MS, recent
claims and exhortations for an Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
(EES) are examined that see the need for the inclusion of
non-genetic modes of inheritance and also developmental processes.
Much of this argument is based around claims that the MS adopts a
particular view of information that has privileged the gene as an
instructional unit in the emergence of form. The author analyses
the uses of information and claims that neither side of the debate
explicitly and formally deals with this concept. A more formal view
of information is provided which challenges the EES claims about
the role of genes in MS explanations of form whilst being
consilient with their own interests in developmental biology. It is
concluded that the MS implicitly assumed this formal view of
information whilst using information terms in a colloquial manner.
In the final chapter the idea that the MS is an informational
theory that acts to corral more specific phenomenal accounts, is
mooted. As such the book argues for a constrained pluralism within
biology, where the MS describes those constraints.
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