A new synthesis: Four dimensions of Evolution (Evolution)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Monday, December 07, 2015, 13:40 (3272 days ago)

I'm knee-deep in this book, and it has already radically influenced how I think about evolution. -For those who haven't seen me post here in some time--if ever, I'm probably the closest thing to a materialist the site has, as I buy 100% into methodological materialism, (as does anyone who believes science is reliable) and I'm 99.99% of the way there for naturalistic materialism. -The book divides evolution into four main categories, Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic. -Genetic evolution everyone here should be well-versed in. If not, google "Central dogma of molecular genetics." Or Dawkins. -Epigentic inheritance is trickier, but this book cleared up many of my central questions. For example, cell structures are inherited outside of DNA. Specifically, there are fibers that give all cells structure, and its during the process of cell replication that these structures are copied from a pre-existing template--the parent cell. Proteins aren't involved here, it's essentially crystalline information copying. Also, the mitochondria we inherit, while they are essentially microbes, are not coded for by the host organism's DNA, they inherit complete structures. The main problem for epigenetic inheritance however is in organisms like us, that use sexual reproduction. If epigenetic information can't make it into gametes, this information will be lost by the next generation. -Behavioral inheritance is when a creature can observe other creatures and copy their behavior. This is also where you first start seeing culture in nature. Several animal species are on record demonstrating primitive cultures. Behavioral inheritance allows a new level of selection as a new behavior for eating a different kind of food can (and has) resulted in speciation events. -Symbolic inheritance is this. We have the ability to communicate and store information in an entirely fashion. -I just started the symbolic chapter, but a simple argument is that if we record say, the date that an asteroid will hit the earth, and that information is passed along until future beings are able to prepare for it/remove it, this is an example of a selection event. -The book doesn't exactly deal with social evolution except as a case of behavioral evolution. E.O. Wilson might have something to say about that...-Describing evolution from this new synthesis, we have answers for certain criticisms. Firstly, that human evolution happened "too rapidly." If we are subject to four different kinds of evolutionary pressure, that sounds to me like exponential growth. Note that a diamond is created under extraordinary pressure...-There is more... but I will have to flesh all this out later.

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"