A developmental systems approach to genetic determinism

Abstract

This paper evaluates developmental systems theory for its ability to combat genetic determinism. I describe the major tenets of a developmental systems approach. I argue that three factors contribute to genetic determinism (i) an intentional view of genetic information, (ii) a historically contingent and a DNA-centric gene concept, (iii) a tendency to assign single causes and centralized control to complex events. In contrast, a developmental systems approach provides causal views of information, a more holistic gene concept and a dynamic explanation of complex systems.