Canguilhem and the Logic of Life
In this paper we examine aspects of Canguilhem’s philosophy of biology, concerning the knowledge of life and its consequences on science and vitalism. His concept of life stems from the idea of a living individual, endowed with creative subjectivity and norms, a Kantian view which “disconcerts logic...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Transversal: International Journal for the Historiography of Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.historiographyofscience.org/index.php/transversal/article/view/69/103 |
| _version_ | 1818343137892892672 |
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| author | Arantza Etxeberria Charles T. Wolfe |
| author_facet | Arantza Etxeberria Charles T. Wolfe |
| author_sort | Arantza Etxeberria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper we examine aspects of Canguilhem’s philosophy of biology, concerning the knowledge of life and its consequences on science and vitalism. His concept of life stems from the idea of a living individual, endowed with creative subjectivity and norms, a Kantian view which “disconcerts logic”. In contrast, two different approaches ground naturalistic perspectives to explore the logic of life (Jacob) and the logic of the living individual (Maturana and Varela) in the 1970s. Although Canguilhem is closer to the second, there are divergences; for example, unlike them, he does not dismiss vitalism, often referring to it in his work and even at times describing himself as a vitalist. The reason may lie in their different views of science. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:25:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5d530485c6ce4c9b862cf09616bdf85d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2526-2270 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:25:49Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Transversal: International Journal for the Historiography of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-5d530485c6ce4c9b862cf09616bdf85d2022-12-21T23:38:36ZengUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisTransversal: International Journal for the Historiography of Science2526-22702018-06-014476310.24117/2526-2270.2018.i4.06Canguilhem and the Logic of LifeArantza Etxeberria0Charles T. Wolfe1 University of the Basque CountryGhent UniversityIn this paper we examine aspects of Canguilhem’s philosophy of biology, concerning the knowledge of life and its consequences on science and vitalism. His concept of life stems from the idea of a living individual, endowed with creative subjectivity and norms, a Kantian view which “disconcerts logic”. In contrast, two different approaches ground naturalistic perspectives to explore the logic of life (Jacob) and the logic of the living individual (Maturana and Varela) in the 1970s. Although Canguilhem is closer to the second, there are divergences; for example, unlike them, he does not dismiss vitalism, often referring to it in his work and even at times describing himself as a vitalist. The reason may lie in their different views of science.http://www.historiographyofscience.org/index.php/transversal/article/view/69/103CanguilhemVitalismBiologyLogic of lifeAutopoietic/HeteropoieticAnalysis/SynthesisLiving individual |
| spellingShingle | Arantza Etxeberria Charles T. Wolfe Canguilhem and the Logic of Life Transversal: International Journal for the Historiography of Science Canguilhem Vitalism Biology Logic of life Autopoietic/Heteropoietic Analysis/Synthesis Living individual |
| title | Canguilhem and the Logic of Life |
| title_full | Canguilhem and the Logic of Life |
| title_fullStr | Canguilhem and the Logic of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Canguilhem and the Logic of Life |
| title_short | Canguilhem and the Logic of Life |
| title_sort | canguilhem and the logic of life |
| topic | Canguilhem Vitalism Biology Logic of life Autopoietic/Heteropoietic Analysis/Synthesis Living individual |
| url | http://www.historiographyofscience.org/index.php/transversal/article/view/69/103 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arantzaetxeberria canguilhemandthelogicoflife AT charlestwolfe canguilhemandthelogicoflife |