title: A semiotic framework for evolutionary and developmental biology.
abstract: This work aims at constructing a semiotic framework for an expanded evolutionary synthesis grounded on Peirce's universal categories and the six space/time/function relations [Taborsky, E., 2004. The nature of the sign as a WFF--a well-formed formula, SEED J. (Semiosis Evol. Energy Dev.) 4 (4), 5-14] that integrate the Lamarckian (internal/external) and Darwinian (individual/population) cuts. According to these guide lines, it is proposed an attempt to formalize developmental systems theory by using the notion of evolving developing agents (EDA) that provides an internalist model of a general transformative tendency driven by organism's need to cope with environmental uncertainty. Development and evolution are conceived as non-programmed open-ended processes of information increase where EDA reach a functional compromise between: (a) increments of phenotype's uniqueness (stability and specificity) and (b) anticipation to environmental changes. Accordingly, changes in mutual information content between the phenotype/environment drag subsequent changes in mutual information content between genotype/phenotype and genotype/environment at two interwoven scales: individual life cycle (ontogeny) and species time (phylogeny), respectively. Developmental terminal additions along with increment minimization of developmental steps must be positively selected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, A.A. 330413, Bogotá, DC, Colombia. leandradep@unal.edu.co
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andrade
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D019295:Computational Biology; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods*; D004777:Environment; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005838:Genotype; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010641:Phenotype; D049490:Systems Biology