شانس و ضرورت: مقاله‌ای در فلسفه طبیعی زیست‌شناسی مدرن

Original title: Le Hasard et la Nécessité, translated by Austryn Wainhouse.Check out "Anti-Chance. A Reply to Monod's 'Chance and Necessity' (1976) by E. Schoffeniels & T. Swain!This radical book by Nobel laureate Monod is an important intellectual event. Chance and Necessity is a philosophical statement whose intention is to sweep away as both false and dangerous the animist conception of man that has dominated virtually all Western worldviews from primitive cultures to those of dialectical materialists. He bases his argument on the evidence of modern biology, which indisputably shows, that man is the product of chance genetic mutation. With the unrelenting logic of the scientist, he draws upon what we now know (and can theorize) of genetic structure to suggest an new way of looking at ourselves. He argues that objective scientific knowledge, the only reliable knowledge, denies the concepts of destiny or evolutionary purpose that underlie traditional philosophies. He contends that the persistence of those concepts is responsible for the intensifying schizophrenia of a world that accepts, and lives by, the fruits of science while refusing to face its moral implications. Dismissing as "animist" not only Plato, Hegel, Bergson and Teilhard de Chardin but Spencer and Marx as well, he calls for a new ethic that will recognize the distinction between objective knowledge and the realm of values--an ethic of knowledge that can, perhaps, save us from our deepening spiritual malaise, from the new age of darkness he sees coming.Contents:PrefaceOf strange objects Vitalisms and animisms Maxwell's demons Microscopic cyberneticsMolecular ontogenesis Invariance and perturbationsEvolution The frontiers The kingdom and the darknessAppendixes A Philosophical Statement Whose Explicit Intention Is To Sweep Away As Both False And Dangerous The 'animist' Conception Of Man That Has Dominated Virtually All Western World Views From Those Of Primitive Cultures To Those Of Dialectical Materialists. Monod Bases His Argument On The Evidence Of Modern Biology, Which Shows, Indisputably, That Man Is The Product Of Chance Genetic Mutation. He Draws Upon What We Now Know About Genetic Structure (and On What We Can Theorize) To Suggest An Entirely New Way Of Looking At Ourselves. He Argues That Objective Scientific Knowledge, The Only Knowledge We Can Rely On, Denies The Concepts Of Destiny Or Evolutionary Purpose That Underlie Traditional Philosophies; And He Contends That The Persistence Of Those Concepts Is Responsible For The Intensifying Schizophrenia Of A World That Accepts, And Lives By, The Fruits Of Science While Refusing To Face Its Momentous Moral Implications--publisher Description. 1. Of Strange Objects -- 2. Vitalisms And Animisms -- 3. Maxwell's Demons -- 4. Microscopic Cybernetics -- 5. Molecular Ontogenesis -- 6. Invariance And Perturbations -- 7. Evolution -- 8. The Frontiers -- 9. The Kingdom And The Darkness. Translated From The French By Austryn Wainhouse. Translation Of Le Hasard Et La Nécessité. Includes Bibliographical References. Contents (vii) 7 Preface (xi) 10 1. Of Strange Objects (3) 15 2. Viatlisms and Animisms (23) 35 3. Maxwell's Demons (45) 57 4. Microscopic Cybernetics (62) 74 5. Molecular Ontogenesis (81) 93 6. Invariance and Perturbations (99) 111 7. Evolution (118) 130 8. The Frontiers (138) 150 9. The Kingdom and the Darkness (160) 172 Appendixes (181) 193 A1. Structure of Proteins (183) 194 A2. Nucleic Acids (189) 200 A3. The Genetic Code (193) 204 4. Note Concerning the Second Law of Thermodynamics (197) 208 A Note About the Author; A Note About the Translator (200) 211 A Note on the Type (201) 212