EVIDENCE AGAINST DARWINIAN EVOLUTION by Bhakti Vijnana Muni, Ph.D. Evolutionary Developmental biology seeks to search out the causal factors behind evolution and ontogeny. Modern biology recognizes that population genetics is not sufficient to explain species diversity. In addition, due to a failure in understanding the origin of structural novelties and body plans from mere genetics, a deeper approach that includes a systematic organic concept is necessary to realize a reasonable explanation of species diversity. Modern developmental biology faces questions well beyond both Darwin’s idea of evolutionary mechanisms and the Modern Synthesis. Even developmental biology has become one of the strongest proofs against evolution of body plans. Limitation of Genetics in explaining evolution Many scientists like J. A. Shapiro, McClintock, Zent-Györgyi, George Wald and Anthony Flew overcame any linear, mechanical and digital concept of cell based on the concept of gene that arose within post Mendelian biology. The concept of gene had gained a realist interpretation in terms of segments within the DNA molecule in the 20th century. But Ruth Hubbard wrote a book named, ‘Exploding the Gene Myth’ [21] where she explained, “The myth of the all-powerful gene is based on flawed science that discounts the environmental context in which we and our genes exist.” Shapiro has compared the attempts of the geneticist in trying to explain life in terms of genes with that of a man searching for the keys under a lamppost [22]. McClintock clearly saw that the genome was a member of the cellular apparatus which was itself subject to cellular control [23]. As the concept of “gene” has evolved into a more dynamic and inclusive conception, any oversimplified understanding of living organisms in terms of only discrete interacting molecules does not have any actual explanatory significance. Living organisms are dynamically complex functional entities which are irreducible to simple mechanical-chemical descriptions [24, 25]. This means that all our evolutionary views have become flawed as randomness and necessity will never be able to explain evolution. The growing realization of the sentient concept of the cellular phenomenon is squarely bringing the question of evolution into the domain of cognitive control. McClintock for example came to consider organisms as subjective beings from her research [26]. The major realization within post-Mendelian biology is that Mendel’s experiments managed to bring to light only some partial truth in terms of genes but the whole truth is proving to be an organic-systematic sentient concept. Conclusions The problem of organismal form is an ancient dispute among different kinds of philosophers and scientists. Aristotle explained that the soul is the first principle of living organisms and distinguished them from non-living objects like rocks which have no soul [27]. The dispute between pre-formationism and epigenesis, for instance in Roux and Driesch, represent the two poles of the developmental argument which demand all our attention even now. Due to the theoretical analysis of experimental results scientific understanding has already led biologists to undertake a deeper level of theoretical and ontological underpinning. No mechanization like the evo-devo and developmental systems theory has any realistic solution. With the growing realization of the limitations of these approaches the time is now ripe for the biological sciences to explore a more cognitive role in genetic assimilation and developmental integration. According to Vedanta there is no evolution beyond a species. This is confirmed in the fossil records which show sudden appearance of forms and stasis. The Vedantic idea is that there is conservation of species identity in Nature. Essentially Nature is living or biocentric and is a far cry from the chemical understanding of 20th century. The sensory capacities of organisms provide the basis for a very important new paradigm for biology. Organisms are regarded as intelligent and sentient. Our hope is that scientists pursuing the 21st century evolutionary biology will become conversant with these principles of life and will be able to see biology from that new and fresh light.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 03:21:09 +0000
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