Max Scheler
Gesellschaft

Repository | Series | Buch | Kapitel

206824

Biology and the possible

Claude Debru

pp. 373-385

Abstrakt

Philosophy and biology are vastly different worlds of thinking, which have common concepts. Among these, the idea of possibility is particularly significant presently. In many fields of contemporary biology and medicine, there is a sense of an expanding possibility of modifying living beings or structures. Things which were previously considered as impossible by many observers become feasible, although there are some doubts, for instance in the field of genetical therapy. Laboratory practice in biotechnologies is changing into largescale industrial production in medicine and agriculture. This general sense of feasibility reminds us of analogous situations in the history of science, for instance in chemistry at the end of the nineteenth century, when organic chemists became able to create new molecules almost at will.

Publication details

Published in:

Grdenfors Peter, Gärdenfors Peter, Woleński Jan, Kijania-Placek Katarzyna (2002) In the scope of logic, methodology and philosophy of science II: 11th international congress of logic, methodology and philosophy of science, cracow, august 1999. Dordrecht, Springer.

Seiten: 373-385

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-0475-5_1

Referenz:

Debru Claude (2002) „Biology and the possible“, In: P. Grdenfors, P. Gärdenfors, J. Woleński & K. Kijania-Placek (eds.), In the scope of logic, methodology and philosophy of science II, Dordrecht, Springer, 373–385.