Most biologists agree that evolution is contingent on inherited information shaped by natural selection. This apparent consensus could be taken to indicate agreement on the forces shaping evolution, but vivid discussions reveal divergences on how evolution is perceived. The predominant Modern Synthesis (MS) paradigm holds the position that evolution occurs through random changes acting on genomic inheritance. However, studies from recent decades have revealed that evolutionary inheritance also includes DNA-methylation, RNA, symbionts, and culture, among other factors. This has fueled a demand of a broader evolutionary perspective, for example from the proponents of the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES). Despite fundamental disagreements the different views agree that natural selection happens through dissimilar perpetuation of inheritable information. Yet, neither the MS, nor the ESS dwell extensively on the nature of hereditary information. We do - and conclude that information in and of itself is immaterial. We then argue that the quality upon which natural selection acts henceforth is also immaterial. Based on these notions, we arrive at the information-centric Information Continuum Model (ICM) of evolution. The ICM asserts that hereditary information is embedded in diverse physical forms (DNA, RNA, symbionts etc.) representing a continuum of evolutionary qualities, and that information may migrate between these physical forms. The ICM leaves theoretical exploration of evolution unrestricted by the limitations imposed by the individual physical forms wherein the hereditary information is embedded (e.g. genomes). ICM bestows us with a simple heuristic model that adds explanatory dimensions to be considered in the evolution of biological systems.

大多数生物学家都同意进化取决于自然选择形成的遗传信息。这种明显的共识可以被视为对塑造进化的力量达成一致，但生动的讨论揭示了如何看待进化的分歧。占主导地位的现代合成 (MS) 范式认为进化是通过作用于基因组遗传的随机变化而发生的。然而，近几十年的研究表明，进化遗传还包括 DNA 甲基化、RNA、共生体和文化等因素。这推动了对更广泛进化观点的需求，例如来自扩展进化综合（EES）的支持者。尽管存在根本分歧，但不同的观点一致认为，自然选择是通过可遗传信息的不同延续而发生的。然而，无论是 MS 还是 ESS，都没有深入探讨遗传信息的性质。我们这样做了——并得出结论，信息本身是无关紧要的。然后我们争辩说，自此以后自然选择所依赖的性质也是无关紧要的。基于这些概念，我们得出了以信息为中心的进化的信息连续统模型（ICM）。ICM 断言，遗传信息嵌入在各种物理形式（DNA、RNA、共生体等）中，代表了进化品质的连续统一体，并且信息可能在这些物理形式之间迁移。ICM 使进化的理论探索不受遗传信息嵌入的个体物理形式（例如基因组）所施加的限制的限制。ICM 为我们提供了一个简单的启发式模型，该模型增加了在生物系统进化中需要考虑的解释维度。