<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The post-genomic era raises questions about neo-Darwinian genetic determinism. Instead, open aspects of macroevolution become intelligible by Evo-Devo research. At all developmental levels, self-organization acts robustly towards “wholeness”, as exemplified by organoid technologies. In retinal reaggregates histotypical features are reached along different formative routes. Thus, tissue formation is not merely gene-directed, but channeled by unpredictable external conditions. These insights restrict conceptions of onto- and phylogenesis. Neither is characterized by unlimited randomness nor by finite genocentrism. A re-examination of Driesch’s drive to wholeness, i.e., robustness and intentionality, appears timely, while his teleologic postulates remain undecidable by reductionist reasoning.</p>
</abstract>

The post-genomic era raises questions about neo-Darwinian genetic determinism. Instead, open aspects of macroevolution become intelligible by Evo-Devo research. At all developmental levels, self-organization acts robustly towards “wholeness”, as exemplified by organoid technologies. In retinal reaggregates histotypical features are reached along different formative routes. Thus, tissue formation is not merely gene-directed, but channeled by unpredictable external conditions. These insights restrict conceptions of onto- and phylogenesis. Neither is characterized by unlimited randomness nor by finite genocentrism. A re-examination of Driesch’s drive to wholeness, i.e., robustness and intentionality, appears timely, while his teleologic postulates remain undecidable by reductionist reasoning.

Post-genomics, Evo-Devo and the recurrence of teleologic thought<xref ref-type="aff" rid="j_biocosmos-2022-0002_fn_003"><sup>†</sup></xref>

P.G.L. is Professor (emer.) for Developmental Biology and Neurogenetics at Technische Universität Darmstadt

BioCosmos: New perspectives on the origin and evolution of life

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Post-genomics, Evo-Devo and the recurrence of teleologic thought

The post-genomic era raises questions about neo-Darwinian genetic determinism. Instead, open aspects of macroevolution become intelligible by Evo-Devo...

Post-genomics, Evo-Devo and the recurrence of teleologic thought^†

Article Category: Review

Online veröffentlicht: 25. Mai 2022

Seitenbereich: 12 - 25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/biocosmos-2022-0002

Schlüsselwörter
retinal organoids, robustness, self-organization, standard evolutionary theory (SET), teleonomy

© 2022 Paul Gottlob Layer, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Post-genomics, Evo-Devo and the recurrence of teleologic thought†

Article Category: Review

Online veröffentlicht: 25. Mai 2022

Seitenbereich: 12 - 25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/biocosmos-2022-0002

Schlüsselwörterretinal organoids, robustness, self-organization, standard evolutionary theory (SET), teleonomy

© 2022 Paul Gottlob Layer, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Post-genomics, Evo-Devo and the recurrence of teleologic thought^†

Schlüsselwörter
retinal organoids, robustness, self-organization, standard evolutionary theory (SET), teleonomy