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Emergence, hierarchy and top-down causation in evolutionary biology
1Department of Philosophy , University of Bristol , 9 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TB , UK.
Interface Focus
|February 7, 2013
Summary
Emergence and downward causation are key concepts in evolutionary biology, particularly regarding the levels of selection. This study explores how these ideas apply uniquely to biological hierarchies, offering new insights into natural selection.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Philosophy of Science
Background:
- Emergence and downward causation are debated concepts across scientific disciplines.
- The 'levels of selection' debate in evolutionary biology questions where natural selection acts (gene, individual, group, species).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine emergence and downward causation within the context of evolutionary biology.
- To analyze the 'levels of selection' debate through the lens of emergence.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of emergence and downward causation.
- Literature review focusing on the 'levels of selection' discussion in evolutionary biology.
Main Results:
- Emergence is used in the levels-of-selection debate to differentiate true higher-level selection from apparent higher-level effects.
- The problem of emergence in biological selection has unique characteristics distinct from other scientific fields.
Conclusions:
- While emergence and downward causation appear in many fields, their application to evolutionary biology, especially levels of selection, presents unique, biology-specific challenges.
- Further examination reveals that these concepts are sui generis to biology when applied to selection hierarchies.
Keywords:
Price's equationcausationemergenceevolutionary biologyhierarchical organizationlevels of selectionMore Related Videos
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