Biological Autonomy: A Philosophical and Theoretical Enquiry (History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences Book 12)

"Since Darwin, Biology has been framed on the idea of evolution by natural selection, which has profoundly influenced the scientific and philosophical comprehension of biological phenomena and of our place in Nature. This book argues that contemporary biology should progress towards and revolve around an even more fundamental idea, that of autonomy. Biological autonomy describes living organisms as organised systems, which are able to self-produce and self-maintain as integrated entities, to establish their own goals and norms, and to promote the conditions of their existence through their interactions with the environment. Topics covered in this book include organisation and biological emergence, organisms, agency, levels of autonomy, cognition, and a look at the historical dimension of autonomy. The current development of scientific investigations on autonomous organisation calls for a theoretical and philosophical analysis. This can contribute to the elaboration of an original understanding of life - including human life - on Earth, opening new perspectives and enabling fecund interactions with other existing theories and approaches. This book takes up the challenge"--OCLC Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiv Constraints and Organisational Closure....Pages 1-38 Biological Emergence and Inter-level Causation....Pages 39-61 Teleology, Normativity and Functionality....Pages 63-87 Agency....Pages 89-109 Evolution: The Historical Dimension of Autonomy....Pages 111-139 Organisms and Levels of Autonomy....Pages 141-165 Cognition....Pages 167-193 Opening Conclusions....Pages 195-200 Back Matter....Pages 201-221