Morphomechanical rules of embryonic development

We start by comparing two explicatory approaches, which we call law-centered and "instructivistic". Although the latter dominates in modern biology, we find it inappropriate for treating developmental problems, especially those related to morphogenesis. As an example of a law-centered approach we suggest a simple morphomechanical rule based upon the idea of the hyper-restoration of mechanical stresses. We show that this rule not only provides a general framework for morphogenesis, but can also reproduce, via parametric modulations, quite specific developmental events.