The theory of evolution was published in modern times, less than 150 years ago.
The discovery of DNA brought with it more detailed knowledge of the detailed mechanisms underlying evolution, and with it
a doctrine of genetic determinism and apparently incompatible theories such as group selection, and "saltationism".
These notes are prepared with certain specific purposes in mind (which in fact are primarily philosophical rather than scientific).
As a stage in preparing the notes I am preparing notes on a couple of relevant books, which are referred to from this page.
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The higher forms of life have evolved on this planet from primitive lifeforms by a process involving the generation of variety
and natural selection from that variety.
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Dawkins is of course the arch proponent of exclusive gene selectionism and gene determinsm.
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The Basic Elements
The key elements are:
- a variety of self reproducing life forms
- some source of variation in these forms
- evolution by natural selection
Reproduction is in fact genetic, i.e. the progeny have a form determined by genetic inheritance of attrubutes of the parent
or parents.
Variation arises in part from random mutation of the genetic material, but is introduced more systematically by the process
of sexual reproduction.
Sexual reproduction provides a rich source of variation just from shuffling the gene pack.
In a more or less random way the child draws its genetic material from each parent, giving each child its own unique genetic
constitution.
The mechanism which accomplishes this while mainly shuffling genes, can also, less frequently, split a gene into parts and
assemble new genes from the fragments, thus providing a more limited source of more radical variation.
Each reproduction is then an experiment, and the reproductive success of the resulting individual will be the proof of the
pudding.
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Introduction
Some context about my interest in these works and their importance in that context.
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The Lucifer Principle
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In response to forecasts that ubiquitous globally networked computers will evolve into a "global brain" Bloom tell us that
a worldwide neo-cortex has existed already for three billion years.
In this book he tells us its story.
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