Re: On Evolution


"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.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: On Evolution
    ... accounts for a much larger part of the complexity of an organism. ... suggested that epigenetics "accounts for a much larger part of ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: On Evolution
    ... Epigenetic coding, determined by the environment, ... accounts for a much larger part of the complexity of an organism. ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: On Evolution
    ... Epigenetic coding, determined by the environment, ... accounts for a much larger part of the complexity of an organism. ... which suggested that epigenetics "accounts for a much larger part of ... than only random mutations. ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: Philosophy specifies: organisms process information
    ... of science, Michel Serres. ... the living organism... ... justifiable -- practice to write two distinct accounts of it: ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Philosophy specifies: organisms process information
    ... of science, Michel Serres. ... the living organism... ... justifiable -- practice to write two distinct accounts of it: ...
    (talk.origins)