Morphic Resonance and Evolution
I have a lot of respect for Rupert Sheldrake, and his work is scientifically valid, yet it is mostly mentioned in the realms of New Age. This is a shame because I feel he could hold the key to evolution without realizing the extra factor involved.
Morphic resonance
Essential to Sheldrake’s model is the hypothesis of morphic resonance. This is a feedback mechanism between the field and the corresponding forms of morphic units. The greater the degree of similarity, the greater the resonance, leading to habituation or persistence of particular forms. So, the existence of a morphic field makes the existence of a new similar form easier.
Sheldrake proposes that the process of morphic resonance leads to stable morphic fields, which are significantly easier to tune into. He suggests that this is the means by which simpler organic forms synergetically self-organize into more complex ones, and that this model allows a different explanation for the process of evolution itself, as an addition to Darwin’s evolutionary processes of selection and variation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Sheldrake#Morphic_resonance
So, we combine two ideas. Firstly mine (but not solely mine, I think James Jeans first thought of it):
Cosmic Ray Bombardment = Evolution. Cosmic Rays cause DNA mutations. Not as much as background radiation, but still a significant factor. And a massive factor if the amount of cosmic rays arriving rises – not impossible seeing as scientists are unsure where the most energetic rays are coming from. It is a fact that an increase in cosmic rays will equal an increase in mutations. For evolution to occur, we’d need the mutations to be aligned in some way. Well, we have a DNA repair system that seems to selectively repair DNA damage, seemingly making choices, which implies intelligence. I’ve figured that our repair systems make the same choices, and bulk cosmic rays = bulk mutations = selective repair = the same mutations getting through = evolution.
And now Sheldrake:
With each mutation, a morphic field is created. With each subsequent same mutation, the morphic field gains strength. The initial decisions to not repair the DNA become standard practice for all such mutations. Suddenly we have an entire species electively mutating and evolving in a similar manner.
An example:
There’s a gene in the giraffes of old that regulates neck length. The DNA repair system has decided that repairing mutations of this particular gene is non-critical; neck length probably won’t matter much, and if we get it wrong, natural selection will sort things out.
A cosmic ray bombardment would create more mutations. Consequently more DNA repair decisions would me made, and more necks would end up longer. This decision process would become a morphic field. It would then become almost automatic for giraffe necks to grow longer, on average. It feeds back upon itself.
Punctuated equilibrium has been put forward as a cause for rapid evolution, and it most likely is an important factor. But if you introduce morphic fields, then the rate of evolution becomes exponential, and the reliance on punctuated equilibrium diminishes.
And what if the force behind a cosmic ray bombardment is the one and same force that creates natural disasters which separates groups of a species and leads them towards punctuated equilibrium?
Rapidity.
Sorry if I am rambling, but I am drinking Cab Sav on a Full Moon Eclipse (aren’t they always?) during a thunderstorm…
