Abstract
Many researchers have argued that evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) constitutes a challenge to standard evolutionary theory, requiring the explicit inclusion of developmental processes that generate variation and attention to organismal form (rather than adaptive function). An analysis of these developmental-form challenges indicates that the primary concern is not the inclusion of specific content but the epistemic organization or structure of evolutionary theory. Proponents of developmental-form challenges favor moving their considerations to a more central location in evolutionary theorizing, in part because of a commitment to the value of mechanistic explanation. This chapter argues there are multiple legitimate structures for evolutionary theory, instead of a single, overarching or canonical organization, and different theory presentations can be understood as idealizations that serve different investigative and explanatory goals in evolutionary inquiry.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Challenging the Modern Synthesis |
Subtitle of host publication | Adaptation, Development, and Inheritance |
Editors | P Humeman, D Walsh |
Place of Publication | New York |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 159-187 |
Number of pages | 29 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780199377176 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Oxford University Press 2017. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Development
- Form
- Function
- Idealization
- Material inference
- Mechanistic explanation
- Pluralism
- Structure
- Theory