Anton Markoš (1949), is a biologist at the Charles University in Prague, Czechia (department of philosophy and history of science). He works and teaches cell biology, theoretical and evolutionary biology. His books in English are Readers of the Book of Life (2002) and (with co-authors) Life as Its Own Designer (2009). Recently published papers include subjects such as in epigenetics, biosemiotics, language metaphor of life, and morphogenesis of bacterial colonies.Jana Švorcová (1982) studied both philosophy and theoretical and evolutionary biology at Charles University, and currently works at the same department as Anton Markoš, her former supervisor. Švorcová teaches theoretical biology and publishes papers concerning non-genetic inheritance, evo-devo and philosophy of biology.

• IntroductionThe Manifold of Prebiotic EvolutionPreconditions Metabolism FirstReplicators’ – Code firstLife from Nonlife: Establishing Rules and CodesProteins‘Universal Cell’Life Is Pillars and itinerary of the biosphereBiospheric gamesTowards a New Manifold: The BiosphereDating Life’s AppearanceOrigins: Biosphere LUCAReconstructing the Past, Making Sense of the PresentConcepts of Heredity and Theories of EvolutionDescent with ModificationJ. B. LamarckAfter Lamarck: Organic MemoryExperimental EmbryologyUnits of HeredityThe Age of DNAModern SynthesisEvolutionary Developmental BiologyPhylotypic StageModularityThe Rise of EpigeneticsPhenotypic PlasticityOrganistic System ApproachThe "Phenotype First" ApproachNiche ConstructionPhilosophical ApproachesPhilosophical Turnoff on CausalityNew Dimensions of DiversityOn DigitalShaping DNAProteinsThe HairballTargeted EpimutationsCombing the Shapes of Nucleic AcidsProtein ModularityUnrooted in the Norm yet Faithful to ItInformation BoomQuorum SensingSignal TransductionChance, Necessity, and GratuityProcessing and RespondingSimplexityMorphogenesisThe Tradition of the NewMulticellularity Phylotype againTransgenerational Epigenetic InheritanceBiased MutationsEvolution by Cooperation: Communication between Different Lineages of LifeOn Lichens, Squids, and Coral Bleaching ProtistsIntracellular Symbiosis in Multicellular OrganismsMycorrhizaBacterial ConsortiaMimetic RingsI, HolobiontHuman HolobiontVariation in Microbiome Within IndividualsColonization DeterminantsFunctions of Microbiome Fecal TransplantsHolobiont as a Unit of SelectionCriticismLife as interpretationThe Nine-Word GameSpecies as CulturesReferences.

"Markoš and Švorcová (Charles Univ., Czech Republic) offer a highly engaging exploration of phenotypic and developmental patterns across diverse biological lineages. The volume's extensive sets of citations will be useful for readers who wish to read more about specific biological examples".