postevolutionary

Postevolutionary is a term used to describe ideas, theories, or philosophical positions that extend beyond, reinterpret, or criticize the conventional understanding of evolution. Unlike evolutionary biology, which focuses on the gradual development of species through natural selection and genetic variation, postevolutionary perspectives often emphasize the role of higher-level organization, consciousness, or intentionality in shaping life. The word combines the prefix “post‑”, meaning after or beyond, with “evolutionary”, indicating a departure from purely mechanistic explanations of biological change.

The concept first appeared in the early twentieth century in the works of thinkers who questioned the sufficiency of natural selection to explain the complexity of life. Prominent examples include the 1920s writings of Aristotle's revivalist Charles Hartshorne, who proposed that reality is an endless process of becoming that includes intellectual and spiritual dimensions. In more recent decades, the term has been adopted by proponents of transhumanism and posthumanism, who argue that technological and sociocultural evolution will outpace biological evolution, creating new modes of existence not predictable by traditional evolutionary theory.

In contemporary discussions, postevolutionary ideas often intersect with debates on artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and moral philosophy. Critics argue that the term can be vague and may conflate scientific concepts with metaphysical speculation. Nonetheless, postevolutionary thinking encourages a broader view of progress, one that incorporates not only genetic change but also cultural, technological, and existential transformations in the trajectory of life on Earth.