Generative biology
This volume sets out to run counter to the neo - Darwinist inference of onto - and phylogeny. Gerry Webster (Part I.) deduces a certain "natural kind" relation between taxa,
which is not understood in terms of strictly "random mutation/environmental selection"
principles of that scheme. Rather, it is a concept of invariance under generative transformations. Prof. Brian Goodwin takes up the issue (Part II.) by distinct theories
of certain circles of experiences in ontogeny. The central concept is the "morphogenetic field", which is parametrised by both genetic and environmental factors. The ontogenetic process is, thus, in the corresponding theories, a robust and highly probable symmetry - breaking bifurcation cascade, with boundary conditions and parameter ranges fixed by
gene product ratios and environmental factors such as spatal patterns of calcium
ion concentrations. Analysing the ontogeny of several animal and plant taxa, he concludes that the taxonomic "natural kind" in evolution are the convergent (polyphiletic)
rather than hereditary (based on descendence) forms as generic morphological invariances (leading to equivalence classes), in a hierarchical manner. This is perhaps the most debatable assertion of the concluding chapter, explained in terms of
genetical "learning" in similar environments.
I would have liked to have an exemplary full, complete calculation of at least one or two discussed cases, i. e., to have the basic equations. Still, I can recommend the book to anybody who likes to re - examine well - known and generally accepted paradigms from a fresh point of view.
