Science as a Way of Knowing—Evolution: The Biology of Whole Organisms1

SYNOPSIS. Examples of current research of importance to the conceptual and informa-tional bases of evolutionary biology in the areas of morphology, development, physiology, ecology, population biology, natural history, and systematics are discussed. A synthetic approach to problems that utilizes ideas and techniques from several areas of biology characterizes much current research, and it is providing new conceptual frameworks and new, testable hypotheses. Some of the possible problems with methods of presentation as we often teach in these areas of biology are considered. The conceptual and informational bases of evolutionary biology continue to be strengthened through current research. Investigations of the biology of organisms, their relationships, and their interactions with the environment add to our under-standing of pattern and process of evolu-tion; indeed, science is a way of knowing. The charge to suggest important cur-rent events in virtually all areas of organ-ismal and supra-organismal biology that enhance our knowledge of evolution is a broad one, incredible in the literal sense of the word. At risk of having my sanity questioned, I accepted the charge when it occurred to me that each of us, when we design a course, faces that same task. Because of the breadth and diversity of morphology, development, physiology, behavior, ecology, population biology, sys-tematics, and natural history, and in accord with constraints of space and time, I shall limit my comments to a few selected exam-ples in these areas, especially emphasizing their contributions to new conceptual frameworks. I shall also note some other topics of current research interest, and comment on some of the problems with methods of presentation, as I perceive them. These comments are meant as sug-gestions, or possible guidelines. I encourage you not to aggregate these examples in a "unit on evolution " withi