Letter to John Smart,
I’m very interested in your Evo-Devo Universe project. I also found some interesting examples of development, that operates by multi-level selection. Below is a bit of a very nice clear example, a case of punctuated equilibrium occurring by a series of rapid evolutionary progressions (spurts), for a plankton species, G. tumida. It goes from being small and smooth to big and bumpy, in a half million years. What’s unique about the succession is the strong evidence of repeated rapid evolutionary progress.
The math I use is a little different, diagnostic math not deterministic math. The theory is a little different, too, about how to look beyond representational theory. One identifies natural systems as complex organizational developments, working as a whole. But your “big idea” that the universe is doing what life is doing, fits very well. Continue reading Multilevel selection in evolution – Devo-evo?