Biology & Philosophy
Explanatory gaps in evolutionary theory
Open access
Published: 01 September 2024
Volume 39, article number 22, (2024)
Bendik Hellem Aaby, Gianmaria Dani & Grant Ramsey
Abstract
Proponents of the extended evolutionary synthesis have argued that there are explanatory gaps in evolutionary biology that cannot be bridged by standard evolutionary theory. In this paper, we consider what sort of explanatory gaps they are referring to. We outline three possibilities: data-based gaps, implementation-based gaps, and framework-based gaps. We then examine the purported evolutionary gaps and attempt to classify them using this taxonomy. From there we reconsider the significance of the gaps and what they imply for the proposed need for an extended evolutionary synthesis.
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