Biological Organization

The philosophical and theoretical approach discussed in this Element explains the properties of biological systems by appealing to their organization. It addresses classic and modern issues in the philosophy of biology, revises the conceptual foundations, and offers an updated version. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

List of contents

1. Introduction: understanding what makes a system living; 2. Different uses of organization: organizational motifs, organizing principles, and the organizational framework; 3. Biological organization as a self-maintaining causal regime: from autopoiesis to closure of constraints; 4. Reinterpreting closure: from basic self-maintenance to regulatory control; 5. Naturalizing biological teleology and functions; 6. Interpreting biological phenomena through the lens of organization; 7. Bridging philosophical frameworks: organization and mechanisms; 8. Open challenges: symbiotic associations and the environment; References.

Summary

The philosophical and theoretical approach discussed in this Element explains the properties of biological systems by appealing to their organization. It addresses classic and modern issues in the philosophy of biology, revises the conceptual foundations, and offers an updated version. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Product details

• Authors: Leonardo Bich, Leonardo (University of the Basque Country) Bich
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.01.2025
• EAN: 9781009393966
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0939396-6
• No. of pages: 82
• Series: Elements in the Philosophy of Biology
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / General, Evolution, Philosophy of Science, molecular biology, Ecological science, the Biosphere