Is Evolution Considered Part of Cosmology?

[jaebaeli]

Is evolution (Darwinian) considered part of the science of cosmology? or would that be another subject entirely?

 

[Integral]

Another subject entirely.

 

[marcus]

I agree that the conventional categories of study are quite separate. Conventional evolutionary biologists study DNA-based Earth life forms. Conventional mainstream cosmologists study the overall geometry of the universe, its history, and the formation of largescale structure comprising galaxies.

However there is a certain amount of research money, prize money, and academic recognition which is now flowing in the direction of interdisciplinary thinking that crosses boundaries and brings evo biology and theoretical cosmology together.

The fields are strictly different, but it is still good to be aware of the combined research projects and the crossover.

I'll get some links to online stuff about this.

 

[marcus]

http://arxiv.org/abs/0912.5508
The Evolution and Development of the Universe
Clement Vidal, Charles Auffray, Alex H. Blin, Jean Chaline, Louis Crane, Thomas Durt, Borje Ekstig, Horace Fairlamb, Jan Greben, Rob Hengeveld, Francis Heylighen, Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis, Giuseppe Longo, Nicolas F. Lori, Denis Noble, Laurent Nottale, Franc Rottiers, Stanley Salthe, John Stewart, Ruediger Vaas, Gertrudis Van de Vijver, Nico M. van Straalen
(Submitted on 30 Dec 2009)
This document is the Special Issue of the First International Conference on the Evolution and Development of the Universe (EDU 2008). Please refer to the preface and introduction for more details on the contributions.
Keywords: acceleration, artificial cosmogenesis, artificial life, Big Bang, Big History, biological evolution, biological universe, biology, causality, classical vacuum energy, complex systems, complexity, computational universe, conscious evolution, cosmological artificial selection, cosmological natural selection, cosmology, critique, cultural evolution, dark energy, dark matter, development of the universe, development, emergence, evolution of the universe evolution, exobiology, extinction, fine-tuning, fractal space-time, fractal, information, initial conditions, intentional evolution, linear expansion of the universe, log-periodic laws, macroevolution, materialism, meduso-anthropic principle, multiple worlds, natural sciences, Nature, ontology, order, origin of the universe, particle hierarchy, philosophy, physical constants, quantum darwinism, reduction, role of intelligent life, scale relativity, scientific evolution, self-organization, speciation, specification hierarchy, thermodynamics, time, universe, vagueness.
Comments: 355 pages, Special Issue of the First International Conference on the Evolution and Development of the Universe (EDU 2008) (online at: this http URL) To be published in Foundations of Science. Includes peer-reviewed papers, commentaries and responses

Louis Crane has been awarded several multiperson research grants to study possible interactions between biological evo and features of the universe that might in principle be influenced by life and moreover observable.
He recently won first prize in an essay contest on the Limits of Physics sponsored by the Foundational Questions Institute. He has some hypotheses according to which the universe could evolve partially under the influence of conscious life forms. In other words a linkage between cosmo evolution and biological evolution.

This may seem crazy, but he is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Kansas State, and publishes in peer-review journals, and there are international conferences about his ideas and other similar ones, and he submits proposals for grants describing these ideas and gets funded. And he support graduate research assistants. And co-authors with notable people. And there are others in academia who share these interests.

So it's strange, and even a bit bizarre-sounding, but it can't be denied that there is some academic professional-level connection between cosmo and (biological) evo.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Is evolution (Darwinian) considered part of the science of cosmology? or would that be another subject entirely?

Hi jaebaeli. Nice to see you have joined PF. Darwin didn't write about cosmology. Here is a small section from a large document that hopefully helps you understand more about Darwin. The document is Benchmarks~ Online Project 2061~ AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
10. Historical Perspectives
H. Explaining the Diversity of Life
Grades 9 through 12

•Darwin argued that certain biologically inherited characteristics give an organism an advantage in surviving and reproducing compared to other organisms of the same species. The offspring would also inherit and pass on those advantages, and over generations the accumulation of these inherited advantages would lead to a new species. 10H/H3*

•Darwin published his theory in the mid-1800s in Origin of Species. Its dramatic effect on biology can be traced to his use of clear and understandable argument, the inclusion of a massive array of evidence to support the argument, comparison of natural selection to the selective breeding of animals in wide use at the time, and the utility of the theory as a unifying framework for guiding future research. 10H/H4*

•A mechanism that explained the origin of variation within species was suggested by several lines of evidence: findings from Gregor Mendel's experiments on the inheritance of traits in plants, the identification of genes and how they are sorted in reproduction, and the discovery of the mutability and near universality of the genetic code found in DNA. 10H/H5*

•By the 1900s, nearly all scientists had accepted Darwin's basic idea of evolution through natural selection. Today, scientists continue to work out the details of the evolutionary history of specific organisms. 10H/H6ab*
http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php?chapter=10#H0

 

[jaebaeli]

Thanks, Integral. That's what i needed to know. I had seen "evolution" under headings of cosmology, so wanted to be sure.

Views of Mars: thanks, ;^) but i have a reasonable grasp on evolution. I was asking if cosmology INCLUDED evolution in its discipline. (so really, i was asking about cosmology, which i don't know as much about). The reason is, my current book is a monster--6 volumes, (I already have 15 books published) and I am doing a cursory examination of certain issues as it pertains to the subject of the book. I needed to know if i could appropriately place evolution under that category, as I hoped to avoid creating still another volume.
Thanks for the help, all.
Jae

 

[ViewsofMars]

"

Thanks, Integral. That's what i needed to know. I had seen "evolution" under headings of cosmology, so wanted to be sure.

Views of Mars: thanks, ;^) but i have a reasonable grasp on evolution. I was asking if cosmology INCLUDED evolution in its discipline. (so really, i was asking about cosmology, which i don't know as much about). The reason is, my current book is a monster--6 volumes, (I already have 15 books published) and I am doing a cursory examination of certain issues as it pertains to the subject of the book. I needed to know if i could appropriately place evolution under that category, as I hoped to avoid creating still another volume.
Thanks for the help, all.
Jae

"


Hi Jaebaeli, my previous statement was strictly about the fact that in Charles Darwin's lifetime he didn't write about cosmology though I am grateful for your contribution which allowed me the opportunity to bring forth to the public what the AAAS has to offer about Charles Darwin. I fully support the AAAS so am grateful to you. I seized that moment!

I'm fond of Professor Eric J. Chaisson who is Director of Wright Center for Science Education. He is a Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy of Tufts University, a Research Professor of Education for Tufts University, an Associate, Harvard College Observatory, Harvard University and an affiliate-director, Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium, (1992-2008) MIT.

Professor Chaisson has a wonderful on-line tutorial:
Wright Center for Science Education - Cosmic Evolution
http://www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center/cosmic_evolution/docs/splash.html

You might like to view Epoch 6 – Biological Evolution. It has a video at the upper right of the screen entitled "Darwinian evolution."
http://www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center/cosmic_evolution/docs/fr_1/fr_1_bio.html

Good luck on your book. Let me know when it's been published. I'm very fond of books. I have four walls, from ceiling to floor, of books. Some are rare antique books about science. I'm an avid reader. I'm currently reading METEORS by Charles P. Oliver, Williams & Wilkins Company, March, 1925.

 

[jaebaeli]

VOM--thanks so much! Great information. I'll check it out. I used to have that many books too, but moved around a lot and had to give some up. I seem to be building my library again though. I am also an unapologetic bibliophile!

I'll try to remember to post about my book when it's available.
Thanks!
Jae