B10: Metaphysics of Evolution: Justification and Ontology of Generalized Evolution Theory

在广义进化论（GE）理论中，进化论的三个核心原则——繁殖、变异和选择——脱离了它们的生物学基础，被抽象并扩展到其他领域，特别是广义的文化领域（包括语言、法律、科学和技术）。本项目研究了通用理论的溯因性和本体论假设，特别是文化进化理论，这是通用理论最重要的子领域。项目B10的研究议程包括四个工作包。WP1将调查CE理论在多大程度上可以被证明是人类文化长期发展的最佳解释。既然CE理论具有溯因论证，那么广义进化的形而上学概念就可以被第二级溯因论证。通用电气理论的统一动力学原理和本体论假设及其预测内容将在WP2中制定和研究。获得性信息结构或“模因”对CE理论至关重要。基于“模因”可以与（人类）大脑中的神经元结构相识别这一主导思想，对模因本体的阐述是WP3的任务。对于GE理论和CE理论来说，另一对重要的本体论概念是种群和（准）物种。在生物进化理论中，基于杂交的种群的生物学概念过于狭隘，不适合于生物进化理论，而在生物进化理论中已经发展出了一些广义的种群概念。它们对CE理论的适用性将在WP4中进行研究。

B10: Metaphysics of Evolution: Justification and Ontology of Generalized Evolution TheoryIn generalized evolution (GE) theory, the three core principles of the theory of evolution − reproduction, variation and selection − are detached from their biological basis, abstracted and extended to other domains, in particular to the domain of culture in the broad sense (including language, law, science and technology). This project investigates the abductive justifiability and ontological assumptions of GE theory and in particular of cultural evolution (CE) theory, which is the most important subfield of GE theory. The research agenda of project B10 consist of four work packages (WPs). WP1 will investigate the extent to which CE theory can be abductively justified as the best explanation of long-term developments in human culture. Given that CE theory has an abductive justification, the metaphysical notion of generalized evolution can be justified by a second level abduction. The unifying dynamical principles and ontological assumptions of GE theory and their predictive content will be laid down and investigated in WP2. Acquired information structures or 'memes' are crucial for CE theory. The elaboration of their ontology is the task of WP3, based on the leading idea that 'memes' can be identified with neuronal structures in the (human) brain. A further important pair of ontological notions, both for GE theory and CE theory, is that of population and of (quasi-)species. While the biological concept of a population based on interbreeding is too narrow and unsuitable for CE theory, several generalized notions of population have been developed in biological evolution (BE) theory. Their applicability to CE theory will be investigated in WP4.