Re: Developmental Evolutionary Biology

Denis Lamoureux (dlamoure@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca)
Sat, 16 Mar 1996 16:53:26 -0700 (MST)

Greetings Gentlemen,
Just a few papers I think would be well worth your while spending some
time on. Last year in February I was interacting with Dr.
Plantinga on this reflector and challenging him with regard to his
skepticism toward evolution. The thrust of my argument rested on some
of the latest work in the new subdiscipline of developmental evolutionary
biology. For too many years now biology has functioned with what I call a
"one-gene-one-trait" mentality, and employing this paradigm certainly
gives SOME just cause for a suspicion toward evolution (which, yes, to a
certain extent, justifies the criticisms Dr. Johnson et. al.) However, with
the recent explosion of biolmolecular data, in particular in developmental
biology, there is a new and more robust synthesis of evolution emerging.
In a word, there is a paradigm shift going on and the more I come to
appreciate it and view biology through these categories the easier it
seems to me that the Lord created through an evolutionary process. To
use Dr. Van Till's term, life and its origin looks a lot to me like an
"evolutionary creation."

Please consider three papers in one of the world's best biology journals,
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY (Feb 1996):

1) Gilbert, S.F., et. al., Resynthesizing Evolutionary and Developmental
Biology. Pp. 357-357.

2) Valentine, J.W., et. al., Developmental Evolution of Metazoan
Bodyplans: The Fossil Evidence. Pp. 373-381.

3) Holland, P.W.H., et. al., Hox Genes and Chordate Evolution. Pp. 382-395.

An interesting caveat for some of you aware of my current doctoral work:
I am constructing a dentition development theory that I have
recently termed the "Odontogenic Field Theory." This model fits
extremely well with what Gilbert et. al. have stated in their paper
regarding "the rediscovery of the morphogenetic field." The plasticity
afforded to a biological system such as the dentition within this context is
extensive and could easily account for dramatic and quick morphological
change due to a very limited genetic variation in a genetic series (eg,
HOX 7 or 8 in the case of teeth) that supports a morphogenic field.

Hope this is helpful.

In Christ,
Denis

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Denis O. Lamoureux DDS PhD PhD (cand)
Department of Oral Biology Residence:
Faculty of Dentistry # 1908
University of Alberta 8515-112 Street
Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton, Alberta
T6G 2N8 T6G 1K7
CANADA CANADA

Lab: (403) 492-1354
Residence: (403) 439-2648
Dental Office: (403) 425-4000

E-mail: dlamoure@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca

"In all debates, let truth be thy aim, and endeavor to gain
rather than expose thy opponent."

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