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From seconds to eons: Time scales, hierarchies, and processes in evo-devo
Jan Baedke1, Siobhan F Mc Manus2
1Department of Philosophy I, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
Summary
This study introduces dynamic hierarchies, which classify biological processes by their time scales, offering a new perspective beyond traditional composition-based models in developmental and evolutionary biology.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Developmental Biology (evo-devo)
Background:
- Traditional hierarchical concepts in philosophy of science focus on composition and parthood.
- This view is insufficient for capturing the full diversity of biological hierarchies.
- An overlooked type of hierarchy based on process time scales exists.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and define 'dynamic hierarchies' based on process time scales.
- To explore the organization, explanatory roles, and epistemic virtues of dynamic hierarchies.
- To demonstrate their utility in developmental biology and evo-devo.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of hierarchical structures in biosciences.
- Identification of time scales (rates, frequencies, rhythms) as a basis for hierarchy.
- Case studies in developmental biology and evo-devo to illustrate dynamic hierarchies.
Main Results:
- Dynamic hierarchies, based on differing time scales of processes, offer a complementary view to compositional hierarchies.
- These hierarchies are often linked to process ontology and describe interlevel dynamics.
- Dynamic hierarchies provide crucial insights in developmental biology and evo-devo.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic hierarchies represent an important, yet often overlooked, framework for understanding biological organization.
- They offer valuable complementary information to compositional hierarchies, particularly in dynamic biological systems.
- The concept of dynamic hierarchies enhances our understanding of biological complexity and interlevel interactions.
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