Niles Eldredge

Telmo Pievani

Emanuele Serrelli

Ilya Temkin

The natural world is infinitely complex and hierarchically structured, with smaller units forming the components of larger systems: genes are components genomes, cells are building blocks of tissues and organs, individuals are members of populations, which, in turn, are parts of species. In the face of such awe inspiring complexity, scientists need tools like the hierarchy theory of evolution, which provides a theoretical framework and an interdisciplinary research program that aims to understand the way complex biological systems work and evolve. The multidisciplinary approach looks at the structure of the myriad intricate interactions across levels of organization that range from molecules to the biosphere. Evolutionary Theory: A Hierarchical Perspective provides an introduction to the theory, which is currently driving a great deal of research in bioinformatics and evolutionary theory. Written by a diverse and renowned group of contributors, and edited by the founder of Hierachy Theory Niles Eldredge, this work will help make transparent the fundamental patterns driving living sytems.

A Hierarchical Perspective

Evolutionary Theory

Maria Cristina Bombelli

Capita spesso che gli obiettivi aziendali non vengano raggiunti perché i collaboratori faticano a relazionarsi fra loro, a riflettere insieme e a confrontarsi in quanto persone. Nei momenti di pressione, poi, possono anche nascere antipatie e insofferenze, e qualcuno viene escluso per ragioni che esulano dalle competenze: genere, anzianità, disabilità, cultura, orientamento sessuale. Apprendere il rispetto diventa quindi non un imperativo morale, ma un percorso di azione: capire le ragioni per cui nascono situazioni «irrispettose» che ostacolano la convivenza e il lavoro comune corrisponde a una scelta strategica in grado non semplicemente di risanare il clima organizzativo, bensì di convertirlo in un risultato anche economico. Con un linguaggio semplice e ricco di esempi, oltre alla presentazione di un caso aziendale di successo, gli autori propongono un nuovo progetto di Diversity e Inclusion. Una filosofia del rispetto che, pur tenendo presenti gli aspetti specifici di ogni gruppo di «esclusi», è imperniata su ciò che accomuna gli individui – il desiderio di essere ascoltati, compresi e considerati in modo equo.

La cultura del rispetto. Oltre l’inclusione

Nathalie Gontier

This book is divided in two parts, the first of which shows how, beyond paleontology and systematics, macroevolutionary theories apply key insights from ecology and biogeography, developmental biology, biophysics, molecular phylogenetics and even the sociocultural sciences to explain evolution in deep time. In the second part, the phenomenon of macroevolution is examined with the help of real life-history case studies on the evolution of eukaryotic sex, the formation of anatomical form and body-plans, extinction and speciation events of marine invertebrates, hominin evolution and species conservation ethics. The book brings together leading experts, who explain pivotal concepts such as Punctuated Equilibria, Stasis, Developmental Constraints, Adaptive Radiations, Habitat Tracking, Turnovers, (Mass) Extinctions, Species Sorting, Major Transitions, Trends and Hierarchies – key premises that allow macroevolutionary epistemic frameworks to transcend microevolutionary theories that focus on genetic variation, selection, migration and fitness. Along the way, the contributing authors review ongoing debates and current scientific challenges; detail new and fascinating scientific tools and techniques that allow us to cross the classic borders between disciplines; demonstrate how their theories make it possible to extend the Modern Synthesis; present guidelines on how the macroevolutionary field could be further developed; and provide a rich view of just how it was that life evolved across time and space. In short, this book is a must-read for active scholars and because the technical aspects are fully explained, it is also accessible for non-specialists. Understanding evolution requires a solid grasp of above-population phenomena. Species are real biological individuals and abiotic factors impact the future course of evolution. Beyond observation, when the explanation of macroevolution is the goal, we need both evidence and theory that enable us to explain and interpret how life evolves at the grand scale.

Explanation, Interpretation and Evidence

Macroevolution

Fabrizio Panebianco

This volume constitutes a first step towards an ever-deferred interdisciplinary dialogue on cultural traits. It offers a way to enter a representative sample of the intellectual diversity that surrounds this topic, and a means to stimulate innovative avenues of research. It stimulates critical thinking and awareness in the disciplines that need to conceptualize and study culture, cultural traits, and cultural diversity. Culture is often defined and studied with an emphasis on cultural features. For UNESCO, “culture should be regarded as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group”. But the very possibility of assuming the existence of cultural traits is not granted, and any serious evaluation of the notion of “cultural trait” requires the interrogation of several disciplines from cultural anthropology to linguistics, from psychology to sociology to musicology, and all areas of knowledge on culture. This book presents a strong multidisciplinary perspective that can help clarify the problems about cultural traits.

Emanuele Serrelli

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