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Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
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The subject as cause and effect of evolution.

Peter Godfrey-Smith1,2

  • 1Unit for History and Philosophy of Science, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.

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|August 26, 2017
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Summary

Organisms actively shape their own evolution, challenging neo-Darwinian theory. This study explores how subjective experiences increasingly influence biological change over evolutionary time.

Keywords:
Cambrianevolutionniche constructionplasticitysubjectivity

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Philosophy of Biology

Background:

  • Mainstream neo-Darwinian evolution emphasizes external selective pressures.
  • Alternative viewpoints propose organisms play an active role in their evolutionary trajectory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate arguments for organismal agency in evolution.
  • To investigate the role of subjectivity in driving biological change.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of existing arguments on evolutionary agency.
  • Examination of historical biological data from the Cambrian period onwards.

Main Results:

  • Several arguments support the concept of organismal active participation in evolution.
  • Subjectivity has emerged as a significant causal factor in evolution since the Cambrian.

Conclusions:

  • Organisms are not merely passive recipients of evolutionary pressures.
  • Subjectivity represents a key, increasingly influential, driver of biological evolution.