Evolution and Learning: The Baldwin Effect Reconsidered

by Bruce H. Weber (Editor), David J. Depew (Editor)

The role of genetic inheritance dominates current evolutionary theory. At the end of the nineteenth century, however, several evolutionary theorists independently speculated that learned behaviors could also affect the direction and rate of evolutionary change. This notion was called the Baldwin effect, after the psychologist James Mark Baldwin. In recent years, philosophers and theorists of a variety of ontological and epistemological backgrounds have begun to employ the Baldwin effect in their accounts of the evolutionary emergence of mind and of how mind, through behavior, might affect evolution. The essays in this book discuss the originally proposed Baldwin effect, how it was modified over time, and its possible contribution to contemporary empirical and theoretical evolutionary studies. The topics include the effect of the modern evolutionary synthesis on the notion of the Baldwin effect, the nature and role of niche construction in contemporary evolutionary theory, the Baldwin effect in the context of developmental systems theory, the possible role of the Baldwin effect in computational cognitive science biosemiotics, and the emergence of consciousness and language.

Genres: Evolution, Science

Paperback

First published July 13, 2003

Reviews

[Mark Longo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Baldwin Effect is kind of a fascinating idea - that mind can direct evolution. This notion was supposedly laid to rest with the disgrace of Lamarck, but Baldwin (and others) may have found a loophole. We all know the apocryphal interpretation of giraffe neck evolution as presented by Lamarck - by striving to reach leaves on higher branches, early giraffes supposedly stretched their necks and these changes were then passed on to their offspring. The germ/soma distinction, as well as some conclusive experiments involving cutting the tails off many a poor rat (and finding that their offspring had no shorter tails) laid that mechanism to rest.

However, consider this: at some point in the past there were antelope-like precursors to giraffes. If none of those antelope creatures had ever decided to reach for the higher leaves, natural selection would have had nothing to operate on to select for longer necks. Much like Waddington's notion of "genetic assimilation" (another very cool idea, now accepted but beyond the scope of this review), it was the behavior (read: minds) of these giraffe precursors striving for the higher leaves that exposed the genetic variation already existing to the action of natural selection, thus opening up a new channel for evolutionary development.

That's a crude example of the process and this book contains many more sophisticated and interesting treatments, but I think it illustrates the main point - behavior can "lead the way" for genetic modification to follow. We can certainly think of definitive cases where this has been the case. Domestication of plants and animals comes to mind, as well as our own "domestication" since the invention of agriculture. That's not to mention the explicitly mind-directed evolution that is resulting from our conscious use of genetic engineering.

This book provides a good introduction to the Baldwin effect, though it's quite technical and some essays are more convincing than others. As usual, Terry Deacon's star shines and his two contributions are the best in the collection. Read anything by him for a methamphetamine jolt of cerebral wonder.