Organic progress and evolutionary theory Silvia De Cesare

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

De Cesare, Silvia, 1987- author.

Series:

Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of biology

Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of biology 2515-1126

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Evolution (Biology).

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Cambridge Cambridge University Press 2026

Summary:

"Progress is defined as change towards the better. This definition, comprising both a descriptive and a normative element, can be applied in the organic domain to the history of living organisms. If evolutionary biologists struggle to live with organic progress, they also seem unable to live without it. Are there any theoretical arguments for using the normative terms 'good' and 'better' within evolutionary theory? How do we clarify the idea that some 'change towards the better' is conceptually implied by evolutionary theory? The author argues that there are specific kinds of value, that is, organic value, that allow us to speak meaningfully about improvements in living beings. A large part of this Element is devoted to showing how this applies to the concept of adaptation at a local scale. The final section broadens the investigation to a global scale, tentatively suggesting evolvability as a promising candidate for global progress"-- Cambridge Core

Contents:

Rival intuitions about organic progress

Dawkins’ account of local progress

Normative terms within evolutionary biology

Empirical cases from the fossil record

Refining local progress: functional improvement of organic traits

Observing functional improvements by time-travelling with E. coli

Candidates for global progress

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Cambridge Core, viewed February 20, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version De Cesare, Silvia, 1987- Organic progress and evolutionary theory

ISBN:

9781108954501

1108954502

OCLC:

1567932227

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license