Following form and function : a philosophical archaeology of life science
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Following form and function : a philosophical archaeology of life science
（Northwestern University studies in phenomenology and existential philosophy）
Northwestern University Press, c1996
- : hard
- : pbk.
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Note
Bibliography: p. 205-213
Includes index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
The concepts of form and function have traditionally been defined in terms of biology and then extended to other disciplines. The author examines the various interpretations of form and function in science and philosophy, reflecting on the philosophical presuppositions underlying the work of Geoffroy, Cuvier and Darwin, among others. In the continental tradition of Canguilhem and Foucalt, the author's treatment of the historical form/function dispute analyzes the complex interactions among ideology, metaphysical commitment and causal mechanisms.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: history and the philosophy of science
- biology and philosophy
- the project. Organic form and the Cuvier-Geoffroy debate. Structure as an effect of function: intentional teleology
- heuristic versus metaphysical teleology
- Aristotle and Cuvier. Function as an effect of structure: the Germans, Plato and Geoffroy
- the revolt of matter
- Geoffroy's materialist structuralism. Time and organic form: ontogeny
- phylogeny. Darwin's functionalism: removing ""design"" from functionalism
- critical dimensions in Darwinism. Darwin's structuralism: Darwin - the strict functionalist
- Darwin's structuralism
- Darwin's causal pluralism. A neglected teleology: the charge of reductionism
- a neglected teleology
- Darwin and organismic teleology. Rethinking the dichotomy: defects in pure structuralism
- defects in pure functionalism
- temporality
- the dichotomy as ""interests of reason""
- dialectical biology
- rethinking the dichotomy.
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