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Darwin & evolution

Plant cognition after Darwin’s movement book

Pecere P · History and philosophy of the life sciences · 2026

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

Darwin analogised the root apex to a brain-like sensitive tip, but denied nerves; later authors stretch that into plant minds.

Key findings

Baluška and others call Darwin a breakthrough against passive plants. Darwin himself distinguished irritation from sentience and stressed plants lack nerves. Plant neurobiology is a later, controversial label.

Methodology

Pecere rereads The Power of Movement in Plants against irritation vs sensation debates and contemporary plant-cognition claims.

Limitations

This is historical-epistemological commentary, not new root-cap experiments.

How this study connects

Role on claims

Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.

  • SupportsDarwin & evolutionconcept

    Darwin analogised the root apex to a brain-like sensitive tip but denied nerves; later authors stretch that into plant minds.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

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