Mind and Body Unification: An Epigenetic Theory of Evolution . Evolution is Mostly Epigenetic as Deduced by Analyzing Carl Jung's Archetypes and Jean Piaget's Schemata of Child Development.

By David William Jedell November 1, 2024

The main ideas herein were originally put into a college philosophy paper by the author in 1988 under the title, "Carl Jung's Archetypes and Jean Piaget's Schema; Uniting Body and Mind," using only the relation of Jung and Piaget's theories, as well as logic. At the time, inherited evolutionary changes, rather than solely survival of life's random mutations, were not accepted by scientific consensus. Now, we have minor acceptance and a lot of science to back up the accepted neo-science of epigentetics.

Epigenetic Inheritance and Its Role in Evolutionary Biology

Darwinian evolution focuses on genetic mutations as the primary driver of evolutionary change; epigenetics examines how environmental factors can influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself, essentially providing another layer of variation that can be acted upon by natural selection, thus complementing Darwin's theory rather than contradicting it; in simple terms, Darwin's theory focuses on changes in the genetic code, while epigenetics explores how the "reading" of that code can be modified by environmental factors https://www.google.com/search?q=epigenetics+v+darwin+evolution&sca_esv=c278979780704cdd&sxsrf=ADLYWIJXYOv7fDyQRchvS2MqrXmOR_-Fbw%3A1728760234491&ei=qskKZ53MHfqo5NoP84jI4QQ&oq=epigenetics+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiDGVwaWdlbmV0aWNzICoCCAEyBBAjGCcyBBAjGCcyChAAGIAEGBQYhwIyCBAAGIAEGLEDMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESJpVUKQKWOUbcAJ4AZABAJgBmQGgAfkBqgEDMS4xuAEByAEA-AEBmAIEoAKRAsICBxAjGLADGCfCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgILEAAYgAQYkQIYigXCAgsQLhiABBiRAhiKBZgDAIgGAZAGCpIHAzIuMqAHsRA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Someone’s lifetime can change the way their DNA is expressed, and how that change can be passed on to the next generation. This is the process of epigenetics, where the readability, or expression, of genes is modified without changing the DNA code itself. Tiny chemical tags are added to or removed from our DNA in response to changes in the environment in which we are living. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190326-what-is-epigenetics

The history of epigenetics is linked with the study of evolution and development. But during the past 50 years, the meaning of the term “epigenetics” has itself undergone an evolution that parallels our dramatically increased knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Our present definitions of epigenetics reflect our understanding that although the complement of DNA is essentially the same in all of an organism’s somatic cells, patterns of gene expression differ greatly among different cell types, and these patterns can be clonally inherited. This has led to a working definition of epigenetics as “the study of mitotically and/or meiotically heritable changes in gene function that cannot be explained by changes in DNA sequence” (Riggs et al. 1996; Riggs and Porter 1996). More recently added to this definition is the constraint that initiation of the new epigenetic state should involve a transient mechanism separate from the one required to maintain it (Berger et al. 2009).

Epigenetics increasingly occupies a pivotal position in our understanding of inheritance, natural selection and, perhaps, even evolution. A survey of the PubMed database, however, reveals that the great majority (>93%) of epigenetic papers have an intra-, rather than an inter-generational focus, primarily on mechanisms and disease. Approximately ~1% of epigenetic papers even mention the nexus of epigenetics, natural selection and evolution. Yet, since environments are dynamic, there is an “epigenetic advantage” to phenotypic switching by epigenetic inheritance, rather than by gene mutation. An epigenetically-inherited trait can arise simultaneously in many individuals, as opposed to a single individual with a gene mutation.

Evolution is not solely limited to survival of life's random mutations. Epigenetic phenotype switching is dynamic (temporary or permanent) and can help bridge periods of environmental stress. Epigenetic inheritance likely contributes to evolution both directly and indirectly. The presence of epigenetic markers and the phenotypes they create will influence natural selection and, so, drive the collective genotype of a population. (On a side note, not so long ago, neuroscientists used to think the human brain was 'hard-wired' with fixed circuits of neurons. Now we know better. The brain is actually soft-wired, meaning it is plastic and malleable, undergoing significant changes as we learn and age. This may affct epigenetics.)

"Collective Unconscious" (German: kollektives Unbewusstes) refers to the unconscious mind and shared mental concepts. It was coined by Carl Jung.

The collective unconscious is a concept developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung that refers to a part of the human psyche that's shared by all people and is inherited from our ancestors: The collective unconscious is a part of the unconscious mind that contains information and ideas that are common to all humans and are passed down through genetic material. It's distinct from the personal unconscious, which is shaped by an individual's experiences. he collective unconscious is responsible for a number of deep-seated beliefs and instincts, such as spirituality, sexual behavior, and life and death instincts. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-collective-unconscious-2671571

According to Jung, the human collective unconscious is populated by instincts, as well as by archetypes: ancient primal symbols such as The Great Mother, the Wise Old Man, the Shadow, the Tower, Water, and the Tree of Life. Jung considered the collective unconscious to underpin and surround the unconscious mind, distinguishing it from the personal unconscious of Freudian psychoanalysis. He believed that the concept of the collective unconscious helps to explain why the same themes occur in mythologies around the world. He argued that the collective unconscious had a profound influence on the lives of individuals, who lived out its symbols and clothed them in meaning through their experiences.

The existence of the collective unconscious means that individual consciousness is anything but a tabula rasa and is not immune to predetermining influences. On the contrary, it is in the highest degree influenced by inherited presuppositions, quite apart from the unavoidable influences exerted upon it by the environment. The collective unconscious comprises in itself the psychic life of our ancestors right back to the earliest beginnings. It is the matrix of all conscious psychic occurrences, and hence it exerts an influence that compromises the freedom of consciousness in the highest degree.

Collective unconscious is a psychic system of a collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all individuals. This collective unconscious does not develop individually but is inherited. It consists of pre-existent forms, the archetypes, which can only become conscious secondarily and which give definite form to certain psychic contents. These archetypes dwell in a world beyond the chronology of a human lifespan, developing on an evolutionary timescale. Jung also described archetypes as imprints of momentous or frequently recurring situations in the lengthy human past.

Certain structures and predispositions of the unconscious are common to all of us on an inherited, species-specific, genetic basis. Thus one could as easily speak of the "collective arm," meaning the basic pattern of bones and muscles which all human arms share in common.

Schema

Much of modern cognitive theory, including its relationship to socialization, stems from the work of the Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget. In the 1920s Piaget observed children reasoning and understanding differently, depending on their age. He proposed that all children progress through a series of cognitive stages of development, just as they progress through a series of physical stages of development. According to Piaget, the rate at which children pass through these cognitive stages may vary, but they eventually pass through all of them in the same order. https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/socialization/piagets-model-of-cognitive-development

In 1967, Jean Piaget considered the possibility of RNA molecules as likely embodiments of abstract schemes (which he promoted as units of action). At that time, due to work such as that of Swedish biochemist Holger Hydén, RNA concentrations had, indeed, been shown to correlate with learning.

A schema is a generalization of past experiences that forms a scripted pattern of thought. Having these patterns makes it easier for our brain to process and remember information. Because schemata are fixed ideas that we have built through personal experience, they tend to alter new information to fit our preexisting understanding. When a child’s experience matches what they understand they are in a state of equilibrium. If they come across a new situation or task that they do not understand, Piaget called this disequilibrium. This occurs when a child is unable to use existing schema to understand new information to make sense of objects and concepts. To enable understanding, Piaget suggested that new information is added to a current schema (assimilation) or the schema is a changed, or a new one is developed to improve understanding of the task (accommodation).

Not so long ago, neuroscientists used to think the human brain was 'hard-wired' with fixed circuits of neurons. Now we know better. The brain is actually soft-wired, meaning it is plastic and malleable, undergoing significant changes as we learn and age. Further, in 2017, researchers showed that pregnancy coincided with significant reductions in gray matter, and in 2022, a follow-up study among 28 volunteers found that pregnancy hormones changed the way the brain's networks are wired.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes (mutations), epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change the sequence of DNA bases, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.

While changes to the genes (mutations) can change the protein that is made, epigenetic changes affect gene expression to turn genes "on" and "off." This can mean that genes make proteins in cells and tissues where or when they normally would not, or that genes don't make proteins where and when they normally would. It can also mean that genes make more or less of a protein than they normally would.

There are several ways an environmental factor can cause an epigenetic change to occur. One of the most common ways is by causing changes to DNA methylation. DNA methylation works by adding a chemical (known as a methyl group) to DNA. This chemical can also be removed from the DNA through a process called demethylation. Typically, methylation turns genes off and demethylation turns genes on. Thus, environmental factors can impact the amount of protein a cell makes. Less protein might be made if an environmental factor causes an increase in DNA methylation, and more protein might be made if a factor causes an increase in demethylation.

Psychological Types

Carl Jung’s psychological types theory suggests that people experience the world using four principal psychological functions – sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking – and that one of these four functions is dominant for a person most of the time.

Each of these cognitive functions can be expressed primarily in an introverted or extroverted form:

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F): This dichotomy is about how people make decisions. ‘ Thinking’ individuals make decisions based on logic and objective considerations, while ‘Feeling’ individuals make decisions based on subjective and personal values.

Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N): This dichotomy concerns how people perceive or gather information. ‘Sensing’ individuals focus on present realities, tangible facts, and details. They are practical and literal thinkers. ‘Intuitive’ individuals focus on possibilities, interconnections, and future potential. They are often abstract and theoretical thinkers.

Extroversion (E) vs. Introversion (I): This pair concerns where people derive their energy from. Extroverts are oriented towards the outer world; they tend to be more outgoing and sociable, deriving energy from interaction with others and the external environment.

Introverts are oriented towards the inner world; they tend to be quiet and reserved, deriving energy from reflection, inner feelings, ideas, and experiences.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-jung.html#Psychological-Types

Epigenetics and age

Your epigenetics change throughout your life. Your epigenetics at birth are not the same as your epigenetics during childhood or adulthood. When new information is similar to what we know, say a square, it can enter the brain through assimilation. For completely new information, e.g., a star, this doesn’t work. We need accommodation and to change the schema itself. Assimilation is the cognitive process of making new information fit in with your existing understanding of the world. It works if new information is close to what we already know. To process the new information we make it fit into our existing schemas. A process which, by definition, changes the information. We have to use accommodation if things are so unique that they don’t fit into our existing schema.

EXAMPLE: A newborn, 26-year-old, and 103-year-old. Scientists measured DNA methylation at millions of sites in a newborn, 26-year-old, and 103-year-old. The level of DNA methylation decreased with age. The newborn had the highest level of DNA methylation, the 103-year-old had the lowest level of DNA methylation, and the 26-year-old had a DNA methylation level that was between that of the newborn and the 103-year-old.

Gene expression refers to the process of making proteins using the instructions from genes. A person's DNA includes many genes. Each gene includes instructions for making proteins. Additionally, there are other sections of DNA that are not part of any gene but are important for making sure the genes work properly. These DNA sections provide directions about where in the body the protein is made, when it is made, and how much is made.

While changes to the genes (mutations) can change the protein that is made, epigenetic changes affect gene expression to turn genes "on" and "off." This can mean that genes make proteins in cells and tissues where or when they normally would not, or that genes don't make proteins where and when they normally would. It can also mean that genes make more or less of a protein than they normally would.

Phylogenic Adaptation Through Epigenetics

There is increasing evidence, particularly from plants, that epigenetic mechanisms can contribute to environmental adaptation and evolution. The generation of phenotypic variation by genetic mechanisms and natural selection of the best suited phenotypes is the central tenet of the prevailing neo-Darwinian theory of evolution. However, phenotypic diversity can also result from the production of epigenetic variants from the same genome either via developmental stochasticity or environmental induction. Earlier, genetic variation was regarded as the sole type of variation that could produce an evolutionary response. Epigenetic sources of phenotype variation were seen as a one-generation phenomenon without evolutionary impact because they were considered non-heritable.

To comprehend new information with our existing schema we have to make new experiences to modify our schema or form an entirely new one. In other words, to understand something truly new, we first have to remodel our brain-space. Just imagine you were born completely color blind. Not a million books or the best teacher could ever truly explain red to you. You need to experience it to accommodate the idea.

It is established in the field of epigenetics that CpG dinucleotides represent special dinucleotide positions of highly functional relevance for adaptive epigenetic usage of the genome. Therefore, it can be inferred that they should display a distinct evolutionary development

Closer Look at Mind - Body Connection

Consider two identical twins. Despite having the same DNA, one twin might develop a chronic illness while the other remains healthy. How is that possible? The answer lies in epigenetics. While both twins share the same genetic code, their different lifestyles and environments might trigger different epigenetic marks, leading to divergent health outcomes. Think of your DNA as a book full of instructions. Epigenetics doesn’t change the words in the book; instead, it adds bookmarks, highlights, or even erases certain parts, determining how and when your body follows those instructions. https://englishpluspodcast.com/understanding-epigenetics-how-our-choices-shape-our-genes/

Epigenetics and Genetics: Each person's DNA lays the groundwork for the development of physical and psychological characteristics—providing complex instructions for the creation of proteins and other molecules. But the manner in which these instructions are used can be modified by various factors. The chemical modifications that influence gene activity in this way are collectively called the epigenome. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/epigenetics

Conclusion

Clearly, there could not exist Schemata without starting with Archetypes of the Collective Unconcious. Just as clearly, there could not exist the Collective Unconcious without Schemata. Thus, when viewing the entire discussion herein, one cannot help but conclude that repetitive emotional experiences in the life of an individual will cause the body and mind to adapt for the individual's survival chances and that of its progeny. Mutations alone, in Darwin's Theory, cannot account for evolutionary changes or mind and body adaptations. Evolution is not solely limited to survival of life's random mutations.

References and Related Material

Collective Unconscious, Carl Jung https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious#:~:text=According%20to%20Jung%2C%20the%20human,and%20the%20Tree%20of%20Life.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development: Postulated physical mechanisms underlying schemes, schemas, and stages https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget%27s_theory_of_cognitive_development

Epigenetics, Health, and Disease https://www.cdc.gov/genomics-and-health/about/epigenetic-impacts-on-health.html#:~:text=Epigenetics%20refers%20to%20how%20your,body%20reads%20a%20DNA%20sequence.

Facilitation of environmental adaptation and evolution by epigenetic phenotype variation: insights from clonal, invasive, polyploid, and domesticated animals https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5804542/

Schema: Scripted Pattern of Thoughts https://sproutsschools.com/schema-scripted-pattern-of-thoughts/

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood https://www.tutor2u.net/hsc/reference/piagets-theory-of-cognitive-development-in-infancy-and-early-childhood

Phyloepigenetics https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9138650/

Epigenetic Inheritance and Its Role in Evolutionary Biology: Re-Evaluation and New Perspectives https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4929538/

D.W. Jedell, The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Language Influences Thought and Perception https://thejedellreport.blogspot.com/2022/05/roe-v-wade-getting-worked-up-over.html

Brain Plasticity. https://www.sciencealert.com/profound-brain-changes-of-pregnancy-revealed-in-scientific-first

Western study reveals that 'survival of the fittest' forgets about intelligence. Although brawn has been attributed to species survival in the animal kingdom, a new study shows that brains also contribute. Western animal behaviour and cognition researchers tracked the cognition of 227 mountain chickadees for over 10 years, and found that birds with better special learning and memory lived longer on average. https://london.ctvnews.ca/western-study-reveals-that-survival-of-the-fittest-forgets-about-intelligence-1.7038298

Related Material

How Dinosaurs Shrank and Became Birds

Modern birds appeared to emerge in a snap of evolutionary time. But new research illuminates the long series of evolutionary changes that made the transformation possible. Discoveries have shown that bird-specific features like feathers began to emerge long before the evolution of birds, indicating that birds simply adapted a number of pre-existing features to a new use. And recent research suggests that a few simple change—among them the adoption of a more babylike skull shape into adulthood—likely played essential roles in the final push to bird-hood. Not only are birds much smaller than their dinosaur ancestors, they closely resemble dinosaur embryos. Adaptations such as these may have paved the way for modern birds’ distinguishing features, namely their ability to fly and their remarkably agile beaks. The work demonstrates how huge evolutionary changes can result from a series of small evolutionary steps. A bird didn’t just evolve from a T. rex overnight, but rather the classic features of birds evolved one by one; first bipedal locomotion, then feathers, then a wishbone, then more complex feathers that look like quill-pen feathers, then wings. A bird didn’t just evolve from a T. rex overnight, but rather the classic features of birds evolved one by one; first bipedal locomotion, then feathers, then a wishbone, then more complex feathers that look like quill-pen feathers, then wings. Perhaps birds evolved from dinosaurs by arresting their pattern of development early on in life. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-dinosaurs-shrank-and-became-birds/

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