Evolutionary Psychology, Developmental Systems Theory and Advaita Philosophy as Metatheories: Are the Three Compatible?

Abstract

In this special issue different metatheories are proposed, including evolutionary psychology (Ploeger, 2010), developmental systems theory (Antley, 2010), and advaita philosophy (Poonamallee, 2010). Evolutionary psychology is psychology that is informed by theory and research of evolutionary biology, with the idea that knowledge about the evolutionary background of psychological phenomena will contribute to the understanding of these phenomena (Cosmides, Tooby, & Barkow, 1992). Systems theory can be defined as a holistic theory about complex systems in nature. When applied to development, this theory is often called dynamic systems theory,2 which states that developmental outcomes are the result of the spontaneous emergence of higher-order forms, which are the result of interactions among lower-level components. This process is called self-organization (Lewis, 2000). Advaita philosophy is another holistic theory that presumes non-dualism, i.e., the reality of an individual is identical to that of the world and cosmos. The basic tenet is that all forms of matter are interconnected by an all pervasive energy. Human existence can be placed in an integrated, interconnected whole (Saravanamuthu, 2006). Different questions can be addressed concerning these three metatheories. One question

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