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Idealization in evolutionary developmental investigation: a tension between phenotypic plasticity and normal stages
1Department of Philosophy, Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Minnesota, 831 Heller Hall, 271 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. aclove@umn.edu
Summary
Biologists use idealization in developmental biology, but this simplification, like normal stages, ignores natural variation. Using diverse model organisms and alternative periodizations can help address this limitation in evolutionary studies.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Evolutionary developmental biology
- Scientific reasoning
Background:
- Idealization is a scientific reasoning strategy that simplifies natural phenomena for modeling and explanation.
- In developmental biology, establishing "normal stages" of embryonic development is a common idealization.
- This practice standardizes comparisons but intentionally ignores developmental variation, including phenotypic plasticity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the tension between developmental plasticity and the practice of staging in model organisms.
- To explore the consequences of ignoring variation for evolutionary developmental biology.
- To discuss compensatory tactics for mitigating the limitations of idealization in developmental studies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the practice of establishing "normal stages" in model organism ontogeny.
- Conceptual examination of the conflict between developmental plasticity and experimental tractability.
- Review of compensatory strategies for idealization in evolutionary developmental research.
Main Results:
- Normal stages in model organisms are a form of idealization that removes developmental variation, including phenotypic plasticity.
- This removal of variation poses challenges for evolutionary developmental investigations.
- The study highlights a tension between the need for standardized experimental models and the reality of biological diversity.
Conclusions:
- Idealization in developmental biology, while useful, can obscure important biological variation.
- Employing a diversity of model organisms can help capture a broader range of developmental phenomena.
- Adopting alternative periodization methods offers another strategy to account for plasticity and improve evolutionary developmental studies.
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