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Evolution in the symbolic dimension: The devil is in the details

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2007

Susan Lappan  and
Jae Chun Choe
Susan Lappan
Affiliation:
Department of EcoSciences, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea. lappan@nyu.edujcchoe@ewha.ac.krhttp://home.ewha.ac.kr/~behaveco
Jae Chun Choe
Affiliation:
Department of EcoSciences, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea. lappan@nyu.edujcchoe@ewha.ac.krhttp://home.ewha.ac.kr/~behaveco
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Abstract

Evolution in Four Dimensions argues convincingly that non-genetic inheritance systems have the potential to be agents of evolution and that, in some circumstances, acquired information can be heritable. However, we found the authors' four-dimensional approach to evolution problematic, and doubt that symbolic evolution can be adequately modeled as a distinct dimension of organismal evolution.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , August 2007 , pp. 373 - 374
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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