ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the question of the relationship between intention and expressed action vis-a-vis the participation of frontal lobe regions in the organization of voluntary movements. It considers adaptive change occurring in neural systems across different time scales. The chapter argues that parallels may be drawn between changes occurring on phylogenetic, ontogenetic, and microgenetic time scales in a reconsideration of the biogenetic law. Having introduced the notion of evolutionary architectonics and the concept of relating ethology to phylogenetic trends of brain differentiation, the chapter examines the functional aspects of the paralimbic and parainsular trends of the frontal lobes. The medial paralimbic trend, possibly through its relation to the hippocampus, would also have access to mnemonic functions, which would allow anticipation to develop based on reproducible temporal organization. It is further hypothesized that it is the action of the medial system that primarily conveys intentionality to action.
