La vie est formation de formes, la connaissance est analyse des matieres informees. Les sept etudes reunies par Canguilhem dans ce volume temoignent de cette inspiration commune: l'idee d'une irreductibilite de la vie a une serie d'analyses ou de divisions des formes vitales. La specificite du vivant engage au contraire une vision de l'objet biologique qui depasse la comprehension mecaniste des phenomenes physiques. Concue comme un approfondissement de divers enjeux conceptuels en philosophie et en histoire des sciences, La connaissance de (...) la vie est devenue une oeuvre fondamentale dont l'influence sur l'epistemologie contemporaine reste majeure. (shrink)

No other scientific theory has had as tremendous an impact on our understanding of the world as Darwin's theory as outlined in his Origin of Species, yet from the very beginning the theory has been subject to controversy. The Evolution of Darwinism focuses on three issues of debate - the nature of selection, the nature and scope of adaptation, and the question of evolutionary progress. It traces the varying interpretations to which these issues were subjected from the beginning and the (...) fierce contemporary debates that still rage on and explores their implications for the greatest questions of all: Where we come from, who we are and where we might be heading. Written in a clear and non-technical style, this book will be of use as a textbook for students in the philosophy of science who need to become familiar with the background to the debates about evolution. (shrink)

This volume provides a guide to the discussion among biologists and philosophersabout the role of concepts such as function and design in an evolutionary understanding oflife.

Recent historiography of 19th century biology supports the revision of two traditional doctrines about the history of biology. First, the most important and widespread biological debate around the time of Darwin was not evolution versus creation, but biological functionalism versus structuralism. Second, the idealist and typological structuralist theories of the time were not particularly anti-evolutionary. Typological theories provided argumentation and evidence that was crucial to the refutation of Natural Theological creationism. The contrast between functionalist and structuralist approaches to biology continues (...) today, and the historical misunderstanding of 19th century typological biology may be one of its effects. This historical case can shed light on current controversies regarding the relevance of developmental biology to evolution. (shrink)

Cette édition numérique a été réalisée à partir d'un support physique, parfois ancien, conservé au sein du dépôt légal de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, conformément à la loi n° 2012-287 du 1er mars 2012 relative à l'exploitation des Livres indisponibles du XXe siècle. Pages de début Avant-propos Préface : le mythe du précurseur 1. Qui fut Lamarck? 2. La nature 3. La « série » et les « circonstances » 4. « La transmission des acquisitions » 5. Les avatars (...) de la notion d'adaptation 6. Quand l'histoire se lit à rebours Conclusion : Lamarck au passé, au présent, au futur Bibliographie Pages defin. (shrink)