espritch
May 14, 2007, 12:56 PM
I recently read The Tinkerer's Accomplice: How Design Emerges from Life Itself (http://www.amazon.com/Tinkerers-Accomplice-Design-Emerges-Itself/dp/0674023536/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-2468339-6272631?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179161518&sr=8-1) by J. Scott Turner. Turner is a physiologist. He studies things like heat flow in ostrich eggs and the control of humidity and air circulation in termite mounds. The book is essentially a refutation of the gene centric view of evolution as presented by Dawkin's selfish gene meme. Turner sees this view of life as incorrectly unidirectional. Genes effect the form of living things; but the form of living things is also effected by, and effects, the environment. And, in turn, the environment can effect the genes.
One interesting example he gives are heuweltjies. These are light colored patches of vegetation found in certain arid regions of South Africa. The heuweltjies are produced by termites. The burrowing activities of the termites produce a micro climate with different flora and fauna than are found in the areas surrounding them. These heuwltjies persist far longer than the termite colony that formed them. Some have been dated at 4000 years old. This is because the micro-climates of the heuweltjies is favored by the termites so new colonies tend to be established in the same patches as the old ones. Thus the environment to which these termites are adapted by evolution is one of their own making.
The book looks at a broad range of subjects such as how the brain wires itself, how skin fixes wounds, how antlers grow, and how a prion like mis-folding of a protein involved in gene transcription can effect the adaptability of yeast.
Turner sees living things as not just passive mechanisms for the propagation of genes but as active participants in an ongoing process that flows both ways. You may or may not agree with some of his conclusions, but the book is an interesting read.
One interesting example he gives are heuweltjies. These are light colored patches of vegetation found in certain arid regions of South Africa. The heuweltjies are produced by termites. The burrowing activities of the termites produce a micro climate with different flora and fauna than are found in the areas surrounding them. These heuwltjies persist far longer than the termite colony that formed them. Some have been dated at 4000 years old. This is because the micro-climates of the heuweltjies is favored by the termites so new colonies tend to be established in the same patches as the old ones. Thus the environment to which these termites are adapted by evolution is one of their own making.
The book looks at a broad range of subjects such as how the brain wires itself, how skin fixes wounds, how antlers grow, and how a prion like mis-folding of a protein involved in gene transcription can effect the adaptability of yeast.
Turner sees living things as not just passive mechanisms for the propagation of genes but as active participants in an ongoing process that flows both ways. You may or may not agree with some of his conclusions, but the book is an interesting read.