Re: On Evolution


Perplexed in Peoria wrote:
"Anders" <anders_lindman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:ea1cev$1g03$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Perplexed in Peoria skrev:

"Anders" <anders_lindman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:e9ufgv$4eh$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,

Perplexed in Peoria wrote:
"Anders" <anders_lindman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:e9pg12$nj0$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hypothesis: Genes only account for the basic building blocks in a
biological organism. Epigenetic coding, determined by the environment,
accounts for a much larger part of the complexity of an organism.

Is there some particular empirical motivation for this hypothesis?
Some set of data that can be accounted for by your hypothesis, but
not by the usual hypotheses?

I found that this idea is not new. For example similar ideas are
described here:

http://www.ifgene.org/vines.htm

I'm sorry. I couldn't find anywhere in that article where it
suggested that epigenetics "accounts for a much larger part of
the complexity of an organism" than genetics. And you didn't
answer my question. Is there an empirical motivation for this
hypothesis?

I found a newer source: the book "Evolution in Four Dimensions:
Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic Variation in the History
of Life" by Eva Jablonka and Marion J. Lamb.

I haven't read this book myself, but it looks as if it deals with
similar ideas but in a much more comprehensive way than my simple
hypothesis, such as: "Their systematic and comprehensive perspective on
genetic, epigenetic, behavioral, and symbolic inheritance in evolution
is backed up with detailed empirical data, illustrated in a wide survey
of phenomena, and presented in clear and forthright prose."

http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=10470

I'm sorry. I couldn't find anything in the reviews of that book
which suggested that epigenetics "accounts for a much larger part of
the complexity of an organism" than genetics. And you didn't
answer my question. Is there an empirical motivation for your
hypothesis?

Is it rude of me to keep asking? Is it rude of you to keep evading?
Who cares! I'm having fun.

I don't know the answer to that. I have ordered a copy of the book so
that I can learn more about this and to see if there are scientific
facts that support my hypothesis.

It would also be interesting to find out if Cairns' experiments have
been replicated. If cells do have a mechanism for choosing which
mutations to occur depending on the environment, then that would create
a huge leap of efficiency for natural selection. That would make it
possible for at least single-celled organisms to continuously adapt and
mutate to match their environment based on a directed mechanism rather
than only random mutations.

As a thought experiment, imagine lizards who jump from branch to branch
in trees. If there is a random mutation in one lizard that is
favorable, such as growing more skin on its forelegs so that it can
jump longer, then that mutation has a chance to survive.

According to my hypothesis, there can also be mutations caused by
adaptations to the environment. I admit that this may be a bit
far-fetched. It would mean that the lizards, both male and female,
would be able to grow larger skins on their forelegs at the same time
as an adaptation to the environment and then that would cause directed
mutations in the DNA. That would create a very efficient natural
selection and mutation mechanism, but I don't know if there is any
empirical data supporting this.

al.


.

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