The Ontogeny of Information: Developmental Systems and EvolutionIn The Ontogeny of Information, Susan Oyama draws on psychology, biology, and anthropology, as well as philosophy and history, to explore the many facets of the nature-nurture debate. Our deepest beliefs about what is natural, inevitable and unchangeable, what is normal and good, are affected by our concept of biological nature. Because the non-academic world also continues to frame important questions in terms of genetic necessity and cultural overlay, this distinction between nature and culture has serious implications for the conduct of private lives and for the making of public policy. |
Contents
Preface page vii | 1 |
the gene as the vehicle | 10 |
The problem of change | 24 |
Variability and ontogenetic differentiation | 36 |
cognitive metaphors and | 46 |
The ghosts in the ghostinthemachine machine | 73 |
The ontogeny of information | 114 |
Reprise | 140 |
Prospects | 165 |
Notes | 173 |
| 189 | |
| 199 | |
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Common terms and phrases
acquired adaptive altered argue aspects assumptions basic behavior behavioral genetics biological biologists C. H. Waddington canalization causal causes cell Chapter character cognitive complex concept constancy constraints cultural defined depends described determined devel developmental processes developmental system differentiation discussion distinction E. O. Wilson ecological effects embryogeny embryology environment environmental epigenesis epigenetic epigenetic rules ethology evolution evolutionary example explain fact factors Fishbein function genes genetic assimilation genetic program genome genotype ghost heritability human hunter-gatherer ideas important individual influences inherited innate interactionism interactionist kinds Konner learning levels of analysis machine matter means metaphors molecular natural selection nature-nurture norm of reaction normal notion ontogenetic ontogeny opment organism particular pattern phenomena phenotypic phylogenetic phylogeny possible preformationist problem psychology question relations require role seems sense sequences simply social sociobiology species species-typical stimulus structure theory tissue Toulmin traits variable variation Waddington