Autopoiesis and evolution: the role of organisms in natural drift. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Raimondi, Vincenzo
• Other Names: Steiner Pierre guest-editor.; Gapenne Olivier guest-editor.; Lenay Charles guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Adaptive behavior. Volume 29:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 511
• Page End: 522
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Genocentrism -- development -- plasticity -- natural drift -- behavior; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Animals -- Adaptation -- Periodicals; Adaptability (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Adaptation, Psychological -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; 591.5
• DOI: 10.1177/10597123211030694
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-2633

Abstract

Genetic reductionism is increasingly seen as a severely limited approach to understanding living systems. The Neo-Darwinian explanatory framework tends to overlook the role of the organism for an understanding of development and evolution. In the current fast-changing theoretical landscape, the autopoietic approach provides conceptual distinctions and tools that may contribute to building an alternative framework. In this article, I examine the implications of the theories of autopoiesis and natural drift for an organism-centered view of evolution. By shifting the attention from genes to ontogenetic organism-niche configurations and their transformations over generations, this approach presents a compelling perspective on the role of organismal behavior in guiding phylogenetic drift.