Evolutionary Change: Toward a Systemic Theory of Development and Maldevelopment

by Aron Katsenelinboigen

Overview

Originally published in 1997 Evolutionary Change addresses the somatic mechanism of change. Although astounding advances in molecular biology have opened up new engineering possibilities to shape our future in terms of "improving" the human species as well as eradicating all kinds of pathological characteristics of biological development, these possibilities pose potentially serious dangers. They arise primarily from the local nature of changes that are introduced and the impact of the environment on the overall development of the biological system. The book explores the biological mechanisms of change in their entirety – as they fit into the general dynamics of biological systems – and demonstrates the pitfalls of tackling change from a narrow perspective, using cancer as an example of certain pathological manifestations of these mechanisms of change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367266301
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/21/2019
Series:	Routledge Library Editions: Evolution , #5
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: An Analogy Between Socio-Economic and Biological Mechanisms of Change 1. Economic Mechanisms of Change and Biological Evolution 2. Mechanisms of Change in Socio-Political Systems and Biological Evolution Part II: Evolutionary Mechanisms of Change: Normal Case 3. The Mechanisms of Biological Change – General Characteristics 4. Two Classes of Evolutionary Mechanisms of Change 5. Internal Mechanisms of Change 6. Special Features of the Somatic Mechanism of Change 7. Some Features of the Germatic Mechanism of Change Part III: Evolutionary Mechanisms of Change: Pathology 8. First Steps En Route to a New Concept of Cancer 9. Characteristics of Cancer Conclusion References Index