Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic Variation in the History of Life (Life and Mind: Philosophical Issues in Biology and Psychology) revised edition Edition

by Eva Jablonka (Author), Marion J. Lamb (Author), Robert A. Wilson PhD (Editor),

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ISBN-13: 978-0262525848

ISBN-10: 9780262525848

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About the Author

Eva Jablonka is Professor at Tel-Aviv University. She is the coauthor of Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic Variation in the History of Life and the coeditor of Transformations of Lamarckism: From Subtle Fluids to Molecular Biology, both published by the MIT Press.

Product details

Series: Life and Mind: Philosophical Issues in Biology and Psychology
Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: A Bradford Book; revised edition edition (March 21, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780262525848
ISBN-13: 978-0262525848
ASIN: 0262525844
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 43 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #34 in Books > Science & Math > Evolution > Organic
- #619 in Books > Textbooks > Science & Mathematics > Biology & Life Sciences
- #868 in Books > Science & Math > History & Philosophy

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Evolutionary concepts that go beyond sheer genetics

July 12, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The stages of biological evolution described in this useful overview seem to mirror developmental stages in many other fields of study, from quantum physics to concept development in children. I found their discussion of Dawkins's 'meme' especially enlightening, although their emphasis on biology led them to ignore Jean Piaget's classic studies of developmental stages in children's thinking. And of course modern developments in computer simulation and the internet can also be assimilated into their stages of evolution. But this is a seminal work that foreshadows a 'quantum leap' in our thinking about evolution.

3 people found this helpful

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One of the most important recent books in biology

February 27, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

... in my opinion.
This book is quite a treat. Jablonka and Lamb significantly advance evolutionary biology by assembling a wealth of biological knowledge.

Their basic thesis is that evolution in some way acts on all forms of hereditary information carried by organisms. This is, of course, true for the information encoded on an organism's DNA, but also for information encoded in epigenetic systems, in animal behavior and in symbolic systems. The later is unique to our species.

Jablonka and Lamb argue that a type of behavior which is learned by an offspring from a parent will propagate itself from generation trough generation. Successful types of behavior will over time be enriched in the population. This type of evolution will of course be ruled by different laws than genetic evolution - changes in behaviors will not be random and un-directed as DNA mutations (and even that is not certain). Thus, the "evolution of educated guesses" is taking place.

Similar principles hold for epigenetic and symbolic evolution. Information is passed on, and will be enriched in the population if it increases the bearer's fitness. In addition, these levels of evolution interact. The Baldwin effect, genetic evolution directed by behavior, is one example of such an interaction.

These points are made with a wealth of well-researched examples, some of them based on solidly established science, some of it on new strands of research. None of Jablonka and Lamb's ideas need you to believe anything outrageous to be true. At times they speculate about the role the mechanisms they propose could have, but the speculation seems completely reasonable to me and in many cases could serve as the starting point for interesting research projects - a real strong point of this book.

What is thus presented in this book is a modernized version of evolutionary theory, taking a number of complexities into account which have previously not been assigned the importance they propably should be given. From the connection between processes at the genetic, epigenetic, behavioral and systemic levels emerges a biology where evolution is not confined to selecting for benefitial variations in DNA sequences. Rather, such genetic evolution is only at the base of a more complex evolutionary process. Dobzhansky' famous quote that "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" morphs into "All (hereditary information) in biology makes sense for evolution".

While I am excited about Jablonka and Lamb's ideas, I found their presentation at times a bit tedious. The book could be 100 pages thinner. Especially the earlier chapters have a lot of introductory material which anyone who is picking up such a book will be familiar with. A number of times they start describing an intellectual debate about a certain topic, only to abort the description at a point when it would have been interesting, since "that would lead us too far astray". The chapters are followed by a dialog between two people defending and questioning, respectively, their ideas, which is often a bit redundant.
Then, Jablonka and Lamb admittedly cover a very wide range of topics and can't be expected to be experts on all topics. But there were still some cases where they could have payed more attention. As the example for a mutagen they list LSD, which it is not, in doses consumed by humans. To confuse a piece of drug war propaganda with a scientific fact made me cringe a bit. I enjoyed the creative naivist illustrations by Anna Zeligowski which often illustrate the concepts very well.

In summary: if you are a biologist who cares about a global perspective of his field, read this book. If you are one of these wonderful "educated laymen" scientists hope are abound in the public, read it as well.

8 people found this helpful

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Edward J. Steffes

More Dynamic, Information-Rich View of Evolution

December 24, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Jablonka and Lamb pull together many ideas about evolution to suggest that the Modern Synthesis prevalent since the 1930s is due for a reconceptualization. They argue that evolution involves not one but four kinds of inheritance systems: genetic, epigenetic, behavioral, and (in humans) symbolic. Epigenetic systems involve cellular variations appearing in the course of development, so that cells with the same DNA can develop in quite different directions. Since this information is preserved when cells divide, it can also be inherited in the reproduction of unicellular or asexually reproducing multicellular organisms. (Inheritance by sexually reproducing organisms is tricker but also possible.) Behavioral inheritance among organisms occurs through the transfer of behavior-influencing substances and through imitative and non-imitative learning. Human symbolic communication is an especially rich inheritance system, with features such as the capacity to share imagined behaviors never before tried. The genetic and non-genetic inheritance systems work together in evolution, with non-genetic changes often becoming genetically assimilated. For example, if a human population domesticates cows and starts relying on dairy products, genetic variations in the ability to digest lactose become relevant to natural selection, and so gene frequencies can change as a result of the change in customs. Jablonka and Lamb suggest that non-genetic changes often lead the way in animal evolution, with genetic changes playing catch-up.

Not only is this book a far cry from the simplistic genetic determinism that characterizes many popular discussions of evolution, but it is also a departure from 20th-century Darwinian orthodoxy. While genetic changes are usually blind to outcomes, the variations that are transmitted epigenetically, behaviorally or symbolically are often more targeted, arising in responses to signals from the environment. The environment plays the dual role of inducing as well as selecting variations, and the variations are more like educated guesses about what will work than random shots in the dark. The fact that these acquired innovations can be inherited (one way or another, though not by direct modifications of genes) means that evolution is partly Lamarckian after all, at least in a broad sense of the term.

Orthodox Darwinism has always been a philosophically puzzling doctrine. For a theory of change, it has placed a surprising amount of emphasis on the continuity of being, with change appearing as an accident that only occasionally happens to contribute to that continuity. For a theory of information, it has been surprisingly preoccupied with blind, completely uninformed variation. Jablonka and Lamb's understanding of evolution is both more dynamic and informationally richer. Inherited information is no longer confined to the genome, but can include information acquired and used in the course of development. Organisms participate in evolution not just as vehicles for the transmission of fixed information units (genes or their imagined cultural counterparts, memes, a notion J & L critique vigorously), but as active acquirers and interpreters of information. This is consistent with Stuart Kauffman's contention that life is even more complex and creative than biologists have realized.

The book is extremely well written and documented, so that the arguments are easy to follow by readers with a limited background in biology. Highly recommended for biologists and non-biologists alike.

11 people found this helpful

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Kindle version review

May 6, 2010

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Buy this wonderful, illuminating work for your e-reader and you will improve it and yourself! You will soon wish that you had all your other great books there as well, available for rereading, scanning and searching at any time. I will not duplicate material in the other, informative reviews, but just want to express surprise that there are not more such works on epigenetic evolution (in all its forms, using "epi" in a broad sense).
I was doubtful at first about the "discussions", expecting quick straw-man knockdowns a la Simplicissimus, but they really add to the exposition. I read it on a Kindle II and only the illustrations suffered, which I figured was OK, as I didn't much care for the style, but on reviewing them on an iPad I found them engaging. Improvements would include links to the notes at the end and return links from there. Some publishers are not fully committed to this e-book thing. Buy the Kindle version for your iPad - it is not (yet?) available as an i-Book.

6 people found this helpful

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