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The animal sensorimotor organization: a challenge for the environmental complexity thesis
Fred Keijzer1, Argyris Arnellos2
1Department of Theoretical Philosophy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Biology & Philosophy
|July 18, 2017
Summary
The evolution of animal bodies may stem from internal complexity, not just external environments. This study proposes an animal sensorimotor organization (ASMO) model focusing on internal coordination for early nervous system development.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Developmental biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The environmental complexity thesis (ECT) explains cognition evolution via external factors.
- ECT's applicability to the origin of animal bodily organization and sensorimotor capabilities is questioned.
- Internal bodily complexity may be a more suitable driver for early animal organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an alternative to ECT for explaining the evolution of animal bodily organization.
- To introduce the animal sensorimotor organization (ASMO) concept.
- To investigate the role of internal coordination in the evolution of early nervous systems.
Main Methods:
- Developing the animal sensorimotor organization (ASMO) concept.
- Analyzing the role of epithelial contractile tissues in multicellular organization.
- Examining ASMO's applicability to basic animal architectures like sponges and jellyfish.
Main Results:
- The ASMO concept offers an internal coordination account for early nervous system evolution.
- Epithelial tissues are central to the organization of complex animal bodies.
- ASMO features are plausibly explained by internal constraints within multicellular organizations.
Conclusions:
- Internal bodily complexity, rather than environmental complexity, may better explain the evolution of fundamental animal sensorimotor features.
- The ASMO model challenges the predominant role of ECT in explaining the origins of animal organization.
- The study highlights the significance of internal constraints in shaping early animal multicellularity and nervous systems.
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