Evolutionary theory and World Future

Abstract

Evolutionary theory is intimately tied up with the destiny of human society. As the Darwinian era is drawing to a close with advances in the new molecular genetics as well as in our understanding of the dynamics and biophysics of living organization, evolutionary biologists are presented with deep challenges as to how their theory will relate to the world future and the new world order. Two main aspects that have the greatest implications are: dynamic order in nature and the integration of nature and culture.Traditionally, natural order has been construed in linear mechanical terms. By contrast, we now know that natural dynamical relationships are nonlinear and cyclical. The extent to which dynamic stability is based on feed-back interconnections between living system and environment, on complex space-time structure, on cooperativity and coherence are all important topics for future investigation.Whereas neo-Darwinists have tended to regard the biological being as given, and hence separate from the social entity, which is only a gloss on the biological, the new evolutionary theory recognizes and insists upon the continuity and inseparability between the two. The challenge to evolutionary biologists is the final desconstruction of the Darwinian man who has dominated the world for at least 150 years. In his stead, we should reinstate the natural social being motivated by love. In this way, we shall work towards a future 'coherent society' of natural beings living in harmony with nature's creative process where we shall nurture individual freedom and diversity with universal love.