MOȘTENIREA EPIGENETICĂ ÎN BIOLOGIA EVOLUȚIEI
EPIGENETIC INHERITANCE IN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Summary/Abstract: During the last decade, the field of evolutionary biology has been confronted with the issue of revaluating its core theory, i.e. the synthetic theory of evolution, in the light of recent developments. In this paper I propose to discuss the problem of epigenetic inheritance in evolutionary context. My aim is two folded. Frist, I will show that a broader concept of heredity – i.e. one that encompasses both heredity of genetic material and inheritance of epigenetic characters – does not entail a Lamarckist explanatory scheme. Second, I will argue that, although broadening the concept of heredity does not challenge Darwinism per se, it might imply the revision of another core notion in evolutionary theory: variation. If the notion of variation changes, then the relation between variation and natural selection might also shift, and this shift might call for a rethinking of the explanatory scheme in evolutionary theory.

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