Short note on Developmental Biology

Abstract

Developmental biology is the study of how a number of interconnected mechanisms result in an organism's diverse shapes, sizes, and structural features as it progresses from embryo to adulthood, or more broadly over a life cycle. It is a model of contemporary experimental biology, focusing on phenomena that have perplexed natural philosophers and scientists for over two millennia. Because of the possible importance of developmental biology [1] for understanding evolution, the theme of reductionism in genetic theories, and increased attention to the specifics of specific research projects, such as stem cell biology, developmental biology has piqued the interest of philosophers of biology. Developmental biology exhibits a diverse set of content and philosophical practices that can be scrutinized in order to better comprehend the theoretical rationale used in experimental life science. This entry briefly summarizes some key ontogenetic phenomena before delving into four domains that represent the importance and potential of philosophical reflection on developmental biology epistemology.