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?:about
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  • The theory of epigenetic developments in evolution rests upon two assumptions. First, it refers to developmental processes that decouple biological from genetic evolution. Decoupling evolutionary processes from genetic evolution is even more important for social evolution. Second, it claims that the development of an organism plays a vital role in evolution. It takes into account the specific role individual development plays in evolution. Thus epigenesis refers to definite evolutionary processes unintelligible within Darwinian theory (Ho and Saunders, 1982). This special characteristic of epigenetic processes restricts the field of random developments in evolution. The Darwinian processes of variation and selection are seen as of secondary relevance for evolution to take place. The logic of evolution is decoupled from Darwinian logic, which thus loses its pre-eminent role in explaining evolutionary sequences. An epigenetic system that organizes individual development as cognitive learning processes (as does the epigenetic system underlying social evolution) changes evolutionary processes in several respects. It changes (1) the tempo of evolution (2) the internal structures that restrict the relevance of selection processes and (3) the conditions that favour learning processes and therefore the innovations that are necessary for social evolution. The central characteristic of social evolution is that society is produced by such cognitive learning processes. Learning processes allow for the self-production (Touraine, 1973) of society. Of central importance to the process of self-production is a special type of cognitive learning, namely moral learning (Fairservis, 1975). Moral development emerges in learning processes specific to the human species, and is therefore considered to be the key variable in a theory of social evolution (Eder, 1976, 1984; Habermas, 1981). (xsd:string)
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?:dateModified
  • 1987 (xsd:gyear)
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  • 1987 (xsd:gyear)
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  • en (xsd:string)
?:isbn
  • 90-277-2612-4 ()
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  • Learning and the evolution of social systems: an epigenetic perspective (xsd:string)
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  • Sammelwerksbeitrag (xsd:string)
  • in_proceedings (en)
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  • Evolutionary theory in social science (xsd:string)
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  • GESIS-SSOAR (xsd:string)
  • In: Evolutionary theory in social science, Reidel, Dordrecht et al., 1987, 101-125 (xsd:string)
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?:urn
  • urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-15423 ()