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Part of
Science and Democracy: Controversies and conflicts
Edited by Pierluigi Barrotta and Giovanni Scarafile
[Controversies 13] 2018
► pp. 185–196

Chapter 10
The dialectical legacy of epigenetics

In this article I recognise three major historical phases of epigenetics, the first initiated by Child, Needham and Waddington during the first half of last century, focused on a dialectical analysis of biological processes between the organisms and their environments. The second phase started with the Bellagio conferences organised by Waddington where general principles derived from quantum physics were used to establishing a global order underpinned by scientific, objective facts beyond ethical and moral judgments. In the third phase, started with the failure of the Human Genome Project, there isn’t any consensus on the operative and philosophical notion of nature – i.e. the environmental context. Then, I highlight the necessity to reunify knowledge and moral within epigenetics.

Keywords: social values, epistemic values, science and society, epigenetics, Charles Manning Child, Conrad H. Waddington, Joseph Needham, Brian Goodwin, research policy
Article outline
  • Inheritance redefined
  • The reappearance of epigenetics
  • The new epigenetics and the gap between knowledge and morality
  • Reframing epigenetics
  • Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 23 May 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cvs.13.12dab
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