B10: Metaphysics of Evolution: Justification and Ontology of Generalized Evolution Theory

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Gerhard Schurz
• Subject Area: Theoretical Philosophy
• Term: from 2020 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 288923097

B10: Metaphysics of Evolution: Justification and Ontology of Generalized Evolution TheoryIn generalized evolution (GE) theory, the three core principles of the theory of evolution − reproduction, variation and selection − are detached from their biological basis, abstracted and extended to other domains, in particular to the domain of culture in the broad sense (including language, law, science and technology). This project investigates the abductive justifiability and ontological assumptions of GE theory and in particular of cultural evolution (CE) theory, which is the most important subfield of GE theory. The research agenda of project B10 consist of four work packages (WPs). WP1 will investigate the extent to which CE theory can be abductively justified as the best explanation of long-term developments in human culture. Given that CE theory has an abductive justification, the metaphysical notion of generalized evolution can be justified by a second level abduction. The unifying dynamical principles and ontological assumptions of GE theory and their predictive content will be laid down and investigated in WP2. Acquired information structures or 'memes' are crucial for CE theory. The elaboration of their ontology is the task of WP3, based on the leading idea that 'memes' can be identified with neuronal structures in the (human) brain. A further important pair of ontological notions, both for GE theory and CE theory, is that of population and of (quasi-)species. While the biological concept of a population based on interbreeding is too narrow and unsuitable for CE theory, several generalized notions of population have been developed in biological evolution (BE) theory. Their applicability to CE theory will be investigated in WP4.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2495: Inductive Metaphysics