Empirical vitalism: observing an organism’s formative power within an active and co-constitutive relation between subject and object

History & Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 47(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 24, 2025

Abstract This article proposes an empirical approach to understanding the life of organism that overcomes reductionist and dualist conceptions. The is based on Immanuel Kant’s analysis cognitive conditions required for recognition organism: concept teleology assumption a formative power self-generation. It analyzed how these two criteria are applied in cognition developing organism. Using example developmental series plant leaf, active relational process between observer shown, within which self-generating can be empirically observed through mental faculties will. Furthermore, it emphasized that, according Kant, even physical objects not readily given, but actively constituted unification sense perceptions with concepts. Kantian mode objectification facilitates properties supplemented participatory co-constitutive realization, teleologically organizing become object research. argued also expanded conception nature allows existence living beings it. Finally, analogy Goethe’s highlighted. In summary, stated possible understand by consciously participating

Язык: Английский

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Cognitive Cells: From Cellular Senomic Spheres to Earth’s Biosphere

Biological Theory, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 26, 2025

Abstract Cells are central for life, starting some 3.7 billion years ago with the assembly of first primordial cells in primeval and prebiotic oceans young Earth’s environment. Details this abiogenesis still missing but since competent, self-reproductive cell emerged, life has been based on continuous divisions. Accordingly, all present can be traced directly to very cells. Our senomic concept sentience bioelectromagnetic fields postulated that sentient coterminous. Archaea bacteria most ancient cellular organisms they exhibit a unicellular lifestyle. Some two after emergence Earth, eukaryotic were symbiotically assembled from archaeal bacterial Eukaryotic later coalesced form true multicellular partnership archaea, forming holobionts, including fungi, plants, animals. All living presently integrated into biosphere, which permeates three major ecological habitats: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere. Coexistence such vast assemblies collaborating necessitates highly elevated level integration, originates at spheres individual prokaryotic across whole biosphere corresponding hypothetical Gaia concept.

Язык: Английский

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Emotions and Vygotsky’s materialist semiotics: reply to Oittinen / Las emociones y la semiótica materialista de Vygotski: respuesta a Oittinen

Culture and Education, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 37(1), С. 3 - 17

Опубликована: Март 1, 2025

In a recent article on Vygotsky’s reading of Spinoza, Vesa Oittinen argues that Lev Vygotsky took ‘semantic turn’ late in his career, leading him to dualism and intellectualism. characterizes interest sign-meaning as problematic break from prior interests material practice. this paper, I challenge common view. argue has materialist Marxist theory sign-meaning, enriched by engagement with contemporaneous empirical science. then suggest some ways which signs play role the development emotions. elaborate aspects project drawing Charles Sanders Peirce, Wilfrid Sellars related thinkers.

Язык: Английский

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Explicating Top-Down Causation Using Networks and Dynamics

Philosophy of Science, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 84(2), С. 253 - 274

Опубликована: Дек. 14, 2016

In many fields in the life sciences investigators refer to downward or top-down causal effects. Craver and I defended view that such cases should be understood terms of a constitution relation between levels mechanism intralevel relations (occurring at any level). We did not, however, specify when entities constitute higher-level mechanism. this article appeal graph-theoretic representations networks, now widely employed systems biology neuroscience, associate mechanisms with modules exhibit high clustering. As result interconnections within clusters, often complex dynamic behaviors constrain how individual components respond external inputs, central feature causation.

Язык: Английский

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Landscape and Health: Connecting Psychology, Aesthetics, and Philosophy through the Concept of Affordance

Frontiers in Psychology, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 7

Опубликована: Май 3, 2016

In this paper we address a frontier topic in the humanities, namely how cultural and natural construction that call landscape affects well-being health. Following an updated review of evidence-based literature fields medicine, psychology architecture, propose new theoretical framework called "processual landscape", which is able to explain both health-landscape medical agency-structure binomial pairs. We provide two-fold analysis landscape, from naturalist points view: order take into account its relationship with health, definition as product needs be broadened through naturalization, grounding it scientific domain. Landscape cannot distinguished ecological environment. For reason, naturalize idea notion affordance Gibson's psychology. doing so, stress role agency theory perception relationship. Since result continuous co-creational interaction between agent, biological agent affordances offered perceiver, processual is, our opinion, most comprehensive for explaining The consequences are not only theoretical, but ethical also: insofar health greatly affected by represents something more than just part heritage or place preserved aesthetic pleasure provides. Rather, can talk about right intrinsically linked present future generations.

Язык: Английский

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Multicellular agency: an organizational view

Biology & Philosophy, Год журнала: 2015, Номер 30(3), С. 333 - 357

Опубликована: Март 6, 2015

Язык: Английский

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Understanding Multicellularity: The Functional Organization of the Intercellular Space

Frontiers in Physiology, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 10

Опубликована: Сен. 18, 2019

The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework understand how multicellular systems realise functionally integrated physiological entities by organising their intercellular space. From perspective centred on physiology and integration, biological are often characterised as organised in such way that they metabolic self-production self-maintenance. existence activity components rely the network continuous management exchange matter energy with environment. One virtues organismic approach focused organisation it can an understanding into coherent wholes. Organismic frameworks have been primarily developed focusing unicellular life. Multicellularity, however, presents additional challenges our systems, related cells capable live together higher-order entities, some features behaviours constrained controlled system realise. Whereas most accounts multicellularity focus cell differentiation increase size main elements at level organisation, we argue these factors insufficient physically system. Our thesis one fundamental principles multicellularity, which missing or underdeveloped current accounts, functional In view, capability be space plays central role context, enables size, even specialised functions immunity. We extracellular matrix crucial active respect, evolutionary ancient specific (non-cellular) control subsystem contributes specification modulate fate behaviour. also analyse exert upon internal movement communication. Finally, show involved failures aging cancer.

Язык: Английский

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Of what is “minimal cognition” the half-baked version?

Adaptive Behavior, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 28(6), С. 407 - 424

Опубликована: Сен. 6, 2019

“Minimal cognition” is used in certain sectors of the cognitive sciences to make a kind ontological claim that may be unique biological sciences: function operating organisms living today not fully fledged version (the nature which remains unspecified), but, rather, exhibits minimal requirements for whatever it is, properly conceived. Evidence suggests elsewhere life sciences, deployment minimizing qualifiers relative appears largely restricted two scenarios: first, attenuated functioning and, second, evolution function, real or synthetic. The article argues “minimal and “proto-cognitive” were introduced at turn this century by researchers seeking learn directly from evolved behavior, ecology physiology. A terminological straitjacket imposed on central object science its beginning necessitated move. An alternative terminology proposed, based phyletically neutral definition cognition as function; candidate mechanism explored; bacterial example presented. On story, like respiration: ubiquitously present, unicellular blue whales every form between, similar reasons: staying alive requires it.

Язык: Английский

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Inheritance Systems and the Extended Synthesis

Опубликована: Май 11, 2020

Current knowledge of the genetic, epigenetic, behavioural and symbolic systems inheritance requires a revision extension mid-twentieth-century, gene-based, 'Modern Synthesis' version Darwinian evolutionary theory. We present case for this by first outlining history that led to neo-Darwinian view evolution. In second section we describe compare different types inheritance, in third discuss implications broad heredity various aspects end with an examination philosophical conceptual ramifications thinking incorporates multiple systems.

Язык: Английский

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A part‐dependent account of biological individuality: why holobionts are individuals and ecosystems simultaneously

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 95(5), С. 1308 - 1324

Опубликована: Май 13, 2020

ABSTRACT Given one conception of biological individuality (evolutionary, physiological, etc.), can a holobiont – that is the host + its symbiotic (mutualistic, commensalist and parasitic) microbiome be simultaneously individual an ecological community? Herein, we support this possibility by arguing notion part‐dependent. In our account, ensemble should not only determined in use, but also characteristics part under investigation. specific case holobionts, evaluations their made either host‐relative or microbe‐relative. We claim part‐dependent drawing upon recent empirical evidence regarding physiology hosts microbes, characterization ‘demibiont’. Our account shows contemporary disagreements about derive from incorrect understanding ontology individuality. show collaboration between philosophers biologists very fruitful attempts to solve some debates.

Язык: Английский

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