Evolution of Development

The apparent mystery of evolution, in which original ensembles of molecules come to have the structure and complexity of fully living, intelligent forms, seems to be repeated in compressed form in the development of individuals. The changes that take place in living systems from their moment of conception — and, even more, the intricate patterns that they form — have intrigued observers since Ancient Greece. How can complex structures arise from simpler ones, along an orderly trajectory, in such a short period of time? This is the apparent mystery of development. In this chapter, I want to show that development is being slowly demystified: but, more importantly that it is not merely a passive process of growth to maturity from smaller origins. Rather development has itself evolved as another crucial bridge to the evolution of complex intelligent systems: in fact, in each organism, development is an active, intelligent system in its own right.

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