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Pattern and Process in Evo-Devo: Descriptions and Explanations

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EPSA Philosophy of Science: Amsterdam 2009

Part of the book series: The European Philosophy of Science Association Proceedings ((EPSP,volume 1))

Abstract

In the Modern Synthesis the study of patterns refers to how to identify and systematize order in lineages (description), attributed to underlying processes or mechanisms (explanation). But patterns and processes play distinct roles in evodevo. In this chapter we (1) distinguish three different views (the transformational, the morphogenetic and the process approach) according to the role they play in the description and explanation of development and evolution, and (2) relate this discussion to the issues of homology and variation.

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Acknowledgements

AE’s research was funded by the MICINN (FFI2008-06348-C02-01/FISO & FFI2008-06348-C02-02/FISO) and both authors acknowledge funding by the Basque Government (IT 505-10).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Laura Nuño de la Rosa

  2. IHPST, University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France

    Laura Nuño de la Rosa

  3. University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Basque Country, Spain

    Arantza Etxeberria

Authors
  1. Laura Nuño de la Rosa
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  2. Arantza Etxeberria
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Correspondence to Laura Nuño de la Rosa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. De Boelelaan 1105, HV Amsterdam, 1081, Netherlands

    Henk W. de Regt

  2. PO Box 90153, Tilburg, 5000 LE, Netherlands

    Stephan Hartmann

  3. Bristol, BS8 1TB, United Kingdom

    Samir Okasha

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Nuño de la Rosa, L., Etxeberria, A. (2012). Pattern and Process in Evo-Devo: Descriptions and Explanations. In: de Regt, H., Hartmann, S., Okasha, S. (eds) EPSA Philosophy of Science: Amsterdam 2009. The European Philosophy of Science Association Proceedings, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2404-4_23

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