What is the promise of developmental evolution? III. The crucible of developmental evolution

Wagner, Günter P.; Larsson, Hans C. E.

doi:10.1002/jez.b.41

Cited by 29 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…As we currently do not possess significant amounts of data on population-level genetic variation within developmental systems, the theoretical concept of phenotypes as strategies should allow us to at least study the potential evolutionary dynamics of such variants. This might well be the first step towards a mathematical foundation for Evo Devo, one of Maynard Smith's interests during his later years (Raff 1996;Hall 1998;Maynard Smith 1999;Bonner 2000;Wagner 2000Wagner , 2001Wagner and Larsson 2003;Amundson 2005;Laubichler 2005). …”

Section: John Maynard Smith's Adoption Of the Concept Of Strategymentioning

confidence: 95%

The strategy concept and John Maynard Smith’s influence on theoretical biology

2006

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Abstract. Here we argue that the concept of strategies, as it was introduced into biology by John Maynard Smith, is a prime illustration of the four dimensions of theoretical biology in the postgenomic era. These four dimensions are: data analysis and management, mathematical and computational model building and simulation, concept formation and analysis, and theory integration. We argue that all four dimensions of theoretical biology are crucial to future interactions between theoretical and empirical biologists as well as with philosophers of biology.

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Section: John Maynard Smith's Adoption Of the Concept Of Strategymentioning

confidence: 95%

The strategy concept and John Maynard Smith’s influence on theoretical biology

2006

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“…As a result, many scientists conceive of evo-devo as a synthesis of evolutionary and developmental biology, with developmental genetics providing the link (Love, 2003). However, several other evo-devo practitioners are aware of the fact that some of the items on the agenda of evolutionary developmental biology address longstanding macroevolutionary question-such as accounting for the origin of novel structures-and that solving such problems requires integrating knowledge from many different fields, including population genetics, developmental genetics, phylogeny, palaeontology, morphology, theoretical biology, and ecology (Hall, 2007;Müller, 2007;Wagner, 2007b;Wagner and Larsson, 2003).…”

Section: Toward An Epistemology Of Explanatory Integration In Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9 in the descendant, suggesting the particular morphological changes that constitutes the origination of the novel feature (Wagner and Larsson, 2003).…”

Section: Toward An Epistemology Of Explanatory Integration In Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Reduction and Pluralism: Toward an Epistemology of Explanatory Integration in Biology

Brigandt

2010

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The paper works towards an account of explanatory integration in biology, using as a case study explanations of the evolutionary origin of novelties-a problem requiring the integration of several biological fields and approaches. In contrast to the idea that fields studying lower level phenomena are always more fundamental in explanations, I argue that the particular combination of disciplines and theoretical approaches needed to address a complex biological problem and which among them is explanatorily more fundamental varies with the problem pursued. Solving a complex problem need not require theoretical unification or the stable synthesis of different biological fields, as items of knowledge from traditional disciplines can be related solely for the purposes of a specific problem. Apart from the development of genuine interfield theories, successful integration can be effected by smaller epistemic units (concepts, methods, explanations) being linked. Unification or integration is not an aim in itself, but needed for the aim of solving a particular scientific problem, where the problem's nature determines the kind of intellectual integration required.

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“…Evo-devo will require a deeper and more detailed understanding of morphology and development than is available at present (Wagner and Larsson 2003;Kellogg 2004). Comparative morphology and anatomy as descriptive sciences unrelated to other biological endeavors have long been in decline.…”

Section: Major Questions For Evo-devomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Already in the nineteenth century the study of animal development was a core component of evolutionary biology (Hall 2000;Hossfeld and Olsson 2003;Wagner and Larsson 2003), but it is the new developmental genetics (not simply development) that provides the crucial bridge from evolutionary biology to fields that previously could not contribute significantly to evolutionary understanding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%