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21 March 2004
The recent discovery from DNA sequences that genes are rather
promiscuously horizontally transferred among prokaryotes refocuses the
already difficult question of what we mean by a "species”
within this taxon. This "species” problem may extend to eukaryotic
taxa. We are simultaneously discovering that the core of the chart of
intermediary metabolism is very old, ubiquitous and extremely robust to
change.
This results in a phenotype (the chart of intermediary metabolism)
that is stable to a fluctuating noisy genetic background. The stability
forces a re-examination of the dogma of molecular biology and asks in
which way the information flows. This possible shift of paradigm has implications
for evolutionary theory, biogenesis, Lamarckianism, our general philosophic
view of biology and religious interpretations of evolution.
Keynote speaker:
- Harold Morowitz, PhD, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of Biology and Natural Philosophy, George Mason University
Respondent:
Coverage:
 Listen to Dr. Morowitz
Listen to Dr. Haught
 Read the Summary
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