Philosophical foundations for the hierarchy of life

作者：Shelton Deborah E^*; Michod Richard E

来源：Biology and Philosophy, 2010, 25(3): 391-403.

DOI：10.1007/s10539-009-9160-3

• Chlamydomonas
• Eudorina
• Evolutionary transitions
• Gonium
• Individuality
• Multicellularity
• Multilevel selection
• Pleodorina
• Volvocaceae
• Volvox

We review Evolution and the Levels of Selection by Samir Okasha. This important book provides a cohesive philosophical framework for understanding levels-of-selections problems in biology. Concerning evolutionary transitions, Okasha proposes that three stages characterize the shift from a lower level of selection to a higher one. We discuss the application of Okasha's three-stage concept to the evolutionary transition from unicellularity to multicellularity in the volvocine green algae. Okasha's concepts are a provocative step towards a more general understanding of the major evolutionary transitions; however, the application of certain ideas to the volvocine model system is not straightforward.

• 出版日期2010-6