Transcendental biology

A. J. Nocek

doi:10.5840/philtoday2020128317

Transcendental biology

A. J. Nocek

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This essay shows how Conrad Hal Waddington is at the very center of divergent genealogies of theoretical biology: he is at once remembered for his contribution to epigenetics and complex systems biology (in its current formation) and largely forgotten for the debt that he owes to Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism. The essay traces Waddington's debt to Whitehead and demonstrates the way in which this conceptual lineage challenges the transcendental conditions of biological knowledge presupposed by the reigning paradigm of complex systems biology.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1155-1180
Number of pages	26
Journal	Philosophy Today
Volume	63
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5840/philtoday2020128317
State	Published - Sep 1 2019
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Complex systems
Epigenetics
Process philosophy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Philosophy

Access to Document

10.5840/philtoday2020128317

Cite this

@article{af50ea5cb2a54429a1d5f11e836810cc,

title = "Transcendental biology",

abstract = "This essay shows how Conrad Hal Waddington is at the very center of divergent genealogies of theoretical biology: he is at once remembered for his contribution to epigenetics and complex systems biology (in its current formation) and largely forgotten for the debt that he owes to Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism. The essay traces Waddington's debt to Whitehead and demonstrates the way in which this conceptual lineage challenges the transcendental conditions of biological knowledge presupposed by the reigning paradigm of complex systems biology.",

keywords = "Complex systems, Epigenetics, Process philosophy",

author = "Nocek, {A. J.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Philosophy Today, Volume 63, Issue 2 (Spring 2019).",

year = "2019",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.5840/philtoday2020128317",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "63",

pages = "1155--1180",

journal = "Philosophy Today",

issn = "0031-8256",

publisher = "Depaul University, Department of Philosophy",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transcendental biology

AU - Nocek, A. J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Philosophy Today, Volume 63, Issue 2 (Spring 2019).

PY - 2019/9/1

Y1 - 2019/9/1

N2 - This essay shows how Conrad Hal Waddington is at the very center of divergent genealogies of theoretical biology: he is at once remembered for his contribution to epigenetics and complex systems biology (in its current formation) and largely forgotten for the debt that he owes to Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism. The essay traces Waddington's debt to Whitehead and demonstrates the way in which this conceptual lineage challenges the transcendental conditions of biological knowledge presupposed by the reigning paradigm of complex systems biology.

AB - This essay shows how Conrad Hal Waddington is at the very center of divergent genealogies of theoretical biology: he is at once remembered for his contribution to epigenetics and complex systems biology (in its current formation) and largely forgotten for the debt that he owes to Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy of organism. The essay traces Waddington's debt to Whitehead and demonstrates the way in which this conceptual lineage challenges the transcendental conditions of biological knowledge presupposed by the reigning paradigm of complex systems biology.

KW - Complex systems

KW - Epigenetics

KW - Process philosophy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085191125&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85085191125&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.5840/philtoday2020128317

DO - 10.5840/philtoday2020128317

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85085191125

SN - 0031-8256

VL - 63

SP - 1155

EP - 1180

JO - Philosophy Today

JF - Philosophy Today

IS - 4

ER -

Transcendental biology

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this