Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal The Incompleteness of Evolution | Alfonso Martinez Arias
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Jun 26, 2024 Alfonso Martinez Arias, a developmental biology professor known for his pioneering work on embryonic stem cells, dives into fascinating topics. He reflects on his upbringing in dictatorship-era Madrid, which ignited his passion for biology. He challenges the traditional gene-centric view of evolution, presenting cells as architects of biological development. The discussion also spans the transformative journeys of imaginal discs in insects, the complexities of gastrulation, and the significance of integrating biology with physics to understand life better.
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Early Biology Interest
- Alfonso Martinez Arias's early interest in biology stemmed from encountering images of human embryos, sparking his curiosity about their origins.
- He pursued biology despite social unrest disrupting university life, finding learning opportunities in books like "Chance and Necessity."
Life and Entropy
- Life is viewed as a decaying fluctuation in a vast phase space, returning to maximum entropy.
- As dissipative structures, living organisms create order while returning to this state.
Incompleteness of Selfish Gene
- Dawkins's selfish gene concept, while not inherently wrong, is incomplete as it overlooks developmental biology.
- Organisms are not mere instruments for genes but complex products of developmental processes ignored by this gene-centric view.