Andrea Gambarotto Livres

This book provides a detailed exploration of vitalism and Romantic philosophy of nature, focusing on the emergence of biology as a unified science in Germany from the mid-eighteenth to early nineteenth century. The author emphasizes the significant influence of Romantic Naturphilosophie on biology, particularly through its engagement with teleology, which shaped the research objectives of both post-Kantian philosophers and naturalists. The discussion begins with the issue of generation and the debate surrounding "formative force," prompting readers to consider the underlying principles of organization. The second chapter reconstructs the physiology of vital forces as developed by the Göttingen School, illustrating their perspective on the animal kingdom as a hierarchy of organisms with increasing complexity. Chapter three examines the evolution of this framework within Romantic Naturphilosophie, highlighting the philosophers' views on classification as a reflection of a unified plan linking all living forms, conceptualized as a universal organism. The concluding chapter synthesizes these discussions, demonstrating how the theories of generation, physiology, and natural history collectively established a foundational framework for general biology. This book is an insightful resource for scholars interested in classical German philosophy, particularly those focused on the philosophy of nature and the history and philosophy of bi