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Explanatory Symmetries, Preformation, and Developmental Systems Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Peter Godfrey-Smith
Peter Godfrey-Smith*
Affiliation:
Stanford University
*
†Send requests for reprints to the author, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305–2155.
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Abstract

Some central ideas associated with developmental systems theory (DST) are outlined for non-specialists. These ideas concern the nature of biological development, the alleged distinction between “genetic” and “environmental” traits, the relations between organism and environment, and evolutionary processes. I also discuss some criticisms of the DST approach.

Type
Philosophy of Biology, Psychology, and Neuroscience
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 67 , Issue S3: Supplement. Proceedings of the 1998 Biennial Meetings of the Philosophy of Science Association. Part II: Symposia Papers Sep., 2000 , 2000 , pp. S322 - S331
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

This paper was written to introduce a session on DST at the 1998 PSA meetings. I would like to thank all those present at the PSA session, and also Richard Francis and Kritika Yegnashankaran, for helpful comments.

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