Abstract Biology has genetic, epigenetic, developmental, ecological, and evolutionary components. In addition to the scientific fields contributing to biology the philosophy of science also frames the field. As is the case with all the sciences, progress in biology depends on advances in theory building, empirical research, and modeling. Development, as one of the central processes of biology, has been the focus of both empirical and theoretical attention for centuries. Research techniques and methods used in biology to study development have evolved dramatically over the past several decades, generating a wealth of detailed empirical data. Metatheoretical frameworks, theories, and modeling have likewise advanced, calling into question established interpretations and assumptions about development, including the relation between genotype and phenotype, the nature and extent of heredity, the links between development and evolution, and the biological bases of behavior and cognition. In this chapter, we review the history and current status of biology's view of development and discuss the broader implications of this view for a psychobiological systems view of human development.
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