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.
Author(s): Thomas E. Dickins, Benjamin J.A. Dickins
Series: Evolutionary Biology – New Perspectives on Its Development, 6
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 605
City: Cham
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
Contributors
1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Extending the Modern Synthesis
1.3 This Book
1.4 Summary and Conclusion
References
Part I
2: Every Evolutionist Their Own Historian: The Importance of History, Context, and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
2.1 Introduction: Every Evolutionist Their Own Historian
2.2 Laying the Groundwork: Historicism, Contextualism, Presentism, and the Language of Synthesis
2.3 The Modern Synthesis, The Evolutionary Synthesis, and Neo-Darwinism: Drawing Distinctions
2.4 Moving Targets, Déjà Vu Moments, and the Importance of History to the EES
2.5 History and the EES
2.6 ``Every Evolutionist Their Own Historian´´: Summation and Closing Thoughts
References
3: Yes Indeed, Evolutionary Biologists Should Pay More Attention to History: A Commentary on Smocovitis
References
4: History, Evolution, and the ``Rashomon Effect´´: A Reply to Svensson
References
Part II
5: The Creativity of Natural Selection and the Creativity of Organisms: Their Roles in Traditional Evolutionary Theory and Som...
5.1 Introduction
5.2 How Natural Selection Is a Creative Process: Speleology and Teleology
5.2.1 Blind Cave Fish: Creativity as a Source of Directionality
5.2.2 Blind Watchmakers: Creativity as a Source of Purpose
5.2.3 Complex Adaptations and the Lack of Creative Direction
5.3 Processes That Are Creative in Other Ways: Balance and Bias
5.3.1 Creativity as Increasing Evolvability
5.3.1.1 Creative But Unimportant?
5.3.1.2 What Needs to be Explained?
5.3.2 Creativity as Choice Between Peaks
5.3.3 Summary So Far
5.4 The Organism as a Source of Creativity: Agency Work and Make-Work
5.4.1 The Art of Misdirection: Human Creativity as a Novel Source of Purpose
5.4.2 Theories of Adaptation Without Purpose
5.4.2.1 Popper: The Genetic Fallacy
5.4.2.2 Waddington: Plasticity First and Last
5.4.2.3 Lewontin: Changing the Subject
5.5 Conclusion: Creative Ambiguity
References
6: Let there Be Light: A Commentary on Welch
References
7: Creative Destruction: A Reply to Haig
References
Part III
8: The Organism in Evolutionary Explanation: From Early Twentieth Century to the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The Organism Before the Modern Synthesis
8.3 Three Explanatory Roles of the Organism in the Organicist Movement
8.3.1 Contextualizing Genes and Cells in Development
8.3.2 Organism-Environment Reciprocity
8.3.3 Organismal Agency
8.4 Streamlining the Organism After the Modern Synthesis
8.5 Rediscovering Explanatory Roles of the Organism in the EES
8.6 Conclusions
References
9: Causes and Consequences of Selection: A Commentary on Baedke and Fbregas-Tejeda
References
10: Organisms and the Causes and Consequences of Selection: A Reply to Vidya et al.
10.1 The Evolutionary Stance of Vidya and Colleagues
10.2 Organisms as Evolutionary Agents
References
Part IV
11: The Structure of Evolutionary Theory: Beyond Neo-Darwinism, Neo-Lamarckism and Biased Historical Narratives About the Mode...
11.1 Introduction
11.2 What the Modern Synthesis Was (and Was Not)
11.3 Gould´s Mixed Legacy: Strawman Arguments and Myths About the MS
11.4 Extrascientific Criticisms of the MS: Adaptation Without Natural Selection?
11.5 Scientific Criticisms of the MS: From Waddington and Gould to the EES
11.6 Recent Challenges to the MS
11.7 The Re-emergence of Mutation-Driven Evolution and Directed Variation?
11.8 Developmental Bias, Niche Construction, Non-Genetic Inheritance, and Plasticity
11.9 Where Are We?
11.10 Looking Forward
11.11 Conclusions
References
12: It Is the Endless Forms, Stupid: A Commentary on Svensson
References
13: Ecology, Agents, and the Causes of Selection: A Reply to Shuker
References
Part V
14: Hypertextuality of a Hyperextended Synthesis: On the Interpretation of Theories by Means of Selective Quotation
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Engaging the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
14.3 Differences that Make a Difference
14.4 Exaptations, Spandrels, and Constraints
14.5 Purpose, Goal, and Direction
14.6 Karl Ernst von Baer and Zielstrebigskeit (Goal-Directedness)
14.7 Directedness
14.8 Directed Variation
14.9 The Poetry of Life
References
15: Teleology, Organisms, and Genes: A Commentary on Haig
15.1 Introduction: A Zone of Agreement
15.2 Disentangling Types of Teleology in Biological Explanations
15.3 Teleology and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
15.4 What Constitutes a Teleological Explanation?
15.5 Difference-Makers in Evolution or ``Where is the Organism?´´
15.6 Conclusions: What Can Biologists Build with Haig´s Hammer?
References
16: A Token Response: A Reply to Fbregas-Tejeda and Baedke
Reference
Part VI
17: The Darwinian Core of Evolutionary Theory and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis: Similarities and Differences
17.1 Introduction
17.2 The Darwinian Core (DC) of Evolutionary Theory
Box 17.1 Transmission Fidelity and Change in Frequency of Trait-variants
17.3 The Crystallization of the Modern Synthesis (MS)
Box 17.2 Transmission Fidelity in Population and Quantitative Genetic Models
17.4 Quantitative Genetics as a Phenotypic Theory
17.5 The Nature(s) of Fitness, and a Micro-Evolutionary Red-Herring
17.6 One Gene´s Eye View of Evolution, or Two?
17.7 The Evolutionary Shaping of the Distribution of Phenotypes
17.8 The Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) in the Context of the Darwinian Core (DC) and the Modern Synthesis (MS)
17.9 Summary and Conclusions
References
18: Evolution Is Bigger than All of Us: A Commentary on Vidya, Dey, Prasad, and Joshi
References
19: Why Evolution Is Bigger than all of Us: A Reply to Smocovitis
References
Part VII
20: Inclusive Fitness: A Scientific Revolution
20.1 Introduction
20.2 The Inclusive Fitness Revolution
20.3 The Laundry List in the Light of Inclusive Fitness
Box 20.1 Price´s Equation, Kin Selection, Inclusive Fitness and Multi-Level Selection
20.4 Conclusions
References
21: Phenotypes, Organisms, and Individuals: A Commentary on Rodrigues and Gardner
References
22: On Monism and Pluralism: A Reply to Dickins, T. E.
References
Part VIII
23: Evolution of Bacteriophage Latent Period Length
23.1 Introduction
23.2 Some Phage Biology and Ecology
23.2.1 Latent Periods Are Infection Periods
23.2.2 Latent Period Length Variation
23.2.3 The Eclipse and Post-Eclipse Are Ecological Phenomena
23.2.4 Burst Size and Absolute Fitness
23.2.5 Pre-Reproductive vs. Reproductive Periods
23.2.6 Chronic Release Extends the Post-Eclipse
23.2.7 Virocells vs. the Extracellular Search
23.2.8 Extracellular Searches Can Be Costly
23.2.9 Temperate Phages Can Vary Their Infection Period Durations
23.2.10 Infection Duration Optimization
23.3 Best of Times, Worst of Times
23.3.1 Virion Hard Times
23.3.2 Gadagkar and Gopinathan (1980)
23.3.3 Optimization of Latent Period Duration
23.4 Core Concept: Tradeoff Hypothesis
23.4.1 Shorter vs. Longer Latent Periods
23.4.2 Even Stronger Selection for Shorter Latent Periods?
23.4.3 The Eclipse as a Juggernaut
23.4.4 Importance of Adsorption Kinetics
23.5 Further Tradeoff Hypothesis Considerations
23.5.1 Role of Effective Burst Size (II)
23.5.2 Exploitative Competition (III)
23.5.2.1 SLP Phage Invasion and Invasion Resistance
23.5.2.2 Limitations on Invasion Avoidance
23.5.3 Bacterial Spatial Structure (IV)
23.5.3.1 Well-Separated Microcolonies
23.5.3.2 Clustered Microcolonies
23.5.4 Environmental Change (V)
23.5.5 Other than Lytic Phage Infections (VI)
23.5.5.1 Lysogenizing the Winner?
23.5.5.2 Also Lysogenizing Losers?
23.5.5.3 Chronic Release
23.5.6 Infection Duration Plasticity (VII)
23.5.6.1 Extended Rise
23.5.6.2 Lysis Inhibition
23.5.7 Weak Selection? (VIII)
23.6 Related Phenomena
23.6.1 Michaelis-Menten Kinetics Analogy
23.6.2 Virulence Evolution
23.6.3 Intercellular Communication
23.7 Conclusions
References
24: Optimality and Idealisation in Models of Bacteriophage Evolution: A Commentary on Abedon
References
25: On r-K Selection in the Evolution of Bacteriophages: A Reply to Dickins
25.1 Molecular Details
25.2 Constraints
25.3 Adaptive Physiological Responses
25.4 Megafauna and Cheats
References
Part IX
26: Plasticity and Information
26.1 Introduction
26.2 What Is Plasticity?
26.2.1 Development and the Instructional Gene
26.3 The Role of Information
26.4 Levels of Abstraction
26.5 Conclusion
References
27: Phenotypic Plasticity and Evolutionary Syntheses: A Commentary on Dickins, T.E.
References
28: On Rhetoric and Conceptual Frames: A Reply to Futuyma
References
Part X
29: The Curious Incident of the Wasp in the Fig Fruit: Sex Allocation and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
29.1 Introduction
29.2 What Is Sex Allocation?
29.3 What Is the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis?
29.4 Sex Allocation in EES Terms
29.4.1 Sex Allocation as Behaviour (Organismal Agency)
29.4.2 Sex Allocation as Phenotypic Plasticity
29.4.3 Sex Allocation as Niche Construction
29.4.4 Sex Allocation as Ontogeny
29.4.5 Sex Allocation as Epigenetics
29.4.6 Sex Allocation and Trans-Generational Effects
29.4.7 Sex Allocation as Culture
29.5 Discussion
References
30: The Nuances of Biological Syntheses: A Commentary on Shuker
References
31: On Genetics, Ecology, and the Role of Philosophy in Evolutionary Biology: A Reply to Distin
References
Part XI
32: The Evolving Evolutionary Synthesis
32.1 Evolutionary Biology and the Evolutionary Synthesis
32.2 Controversies
32.2.1 Neutral Theory
32.2.2 Levels of Selection
32.2.3 Sympatric Speciation
32.2.4 Punctuated Equilibria
32.2.5 Adaptation and Constraint
32.3 The Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
32.3.1 Niche Construction
32.3.2 Evolutionary Developmental Biology
32.3.3 Phenotypic Plasticity
32.3.4 Inclusive Inheritance
32.3.5 Overview
32.4 Summary
References
33: Inclusive Fitness Theory as a Scientific Revolution: A Commentary on Futuyma
References
34: Inclusive Fitness Theory Prefigured: A Reply to Rodrigues and Gardner
References
Part XII
35: Genes and Organisms in the Legacy of the Modern Synthesis
35.1 Introduction
35.2 The Core Argument of the Gene´s-Eye View
35.3 The Genesis of the Gene´s-Eye View
35.4 Has Evolutionary Biology Forgotten About Organisms?
35.5 Conclusion
References
36: The Parallax View: A Commentary on Ågren
36.1 Fisher
36.2 Lewontin
36.3 Discussion
References
37: Why We Disagree About Selfish Genes: A Reply to Welch
References
Part XIII
38: Genetic Evolvability: Using a Restricted Pluralism to Tidy up the Evolvability Concept
38.1 Genetic Evolvability: Using a Restricted Pluralism to Tidy up the Evolvability Concept
38.2 The Neglected Long Past of Genetic Evolvability
38.3 Evolvability Theory Today: The Issue(s) with Evolvability
38.4 Non-Genetic (or Evo-Devo) Evolvability
38.5 Drawing a Causal Distinction Between Non-genetic and Genetic Evolvability
38.6 Prescribing a Restrictive Pluralism to Solve Evolvability´s Conceptual Issues
38.7 Theoretical Progress in Biology and the Failures of Modern Science
References
39: Pluralism and Progress in Evolutionary Biology: A Commentary on Distin
References
40: Genetic Evolvability: A Reply to Ågren
References
Index
