evoluere

Evoluere is a term used in multiple disciplines to denote meta-evolution—the evolution of evolutionary processes themselves. It is not a single, standardized theory, but a label for analyses that consider how the rules, constraints, and contexts of evolution change over time, in addition to the traits that are selected. The word is derived from the Latin evoluere, meaning to unroll or unfold, reflecting the sense of unfolding evolutionary potential rather than a fixed outcome.

Use and scope: In biology and systems theory, evoluere is used to discuss how levels of selection, regulatory networks, and developmental biases themselves can evolve, producing evolvability and shifting adaptive landscapes. In artificial life and computational optimization, evoluere describes meta-adaptive algorithms whose operators or fitness criteria adapt during search, enabling longer-term adaptation beyond static fitness functions. In philosophy of science and cultural evolution, the term is used to analyze how methodological frameworks and normative assumptions evolve alongside the phenomena they study.

Relation to existing concepts: Evoluere is closely related to evolvability, reflexive or second-order evolution, and the study of evolvability of evolvability (meta-evolvability). It emphasizes process-level change in addition to state-level change, and often requires interdisciplinary methods from complexity theory, network science, and evolutionary computation.

Reception and critique: Some scholars regard evoluere as useful for framing discussions of adaptive systems at multiple levels, while others view it as vague or redundant with established terms. Ongoing work aims to clarify definitions, develop formal models, and identify empirical cases in biology, technology, and culture.