ENGLISH

Species: A History of the Idea

By John S. Wilkins

Book information

Publisher
University of California Press
Year
2009
ISBN
9780520945074
DOI
10.1525/9780520945074
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
1 MB (1253632 bytes)
Series
Species and Systematics; 1
Pages
320\319
Library
degruyter.com
Time added
2023-08-21 19:42:11

Description

The complex idea of "species" has evolved over time, yet its meaning is far from resolved. This comprehensive work takes a fresh look at an idea central to the field of biology by tracing its history from antiquity to today. John S. Wilkins explores the essentialist view, a staple of logic from Plato and Aristotle through the Middle Ages to fairly recent times, and considers the idea of species in natural history—a concept often connected to reproduction. Tracing "generative conceptions" of species back through Darwin to Epicurus, Wilkins provides a new perspective on the relationship between philosophical and biological approaches to this concept. He also reviews the array of current definitions. Species is a benchmark exploration and clarification of a concept fundamental to the past, present, and future of the natural sciences.

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