Biological Principles

First published in 2000. This is Volume VI of six in the Library of Philosophy series on the Philosophy of Science. Written in 1929, using the initial ideas of A.N. Whitehead, this book on Biological Principles includes the concept of abstraction methodology in biology. This expands into an investigation into the general problems of the theory of knowledge, difficulties in biological knowledge and finally suggestions towards a resolution of certain traditional biological conflicts. Introduction; Part I The Data of Natural Science and Principles of Systematization; Chapter 1 Phenomenalism and Kindred Doctrines; Chapter 2 An Alternative to Phenomenalism; Chapter 3 The Categories of Substance and Causation and Their Use in Modern Natural Science; Chapter 4 Demands, Postulates, and Subjective Factors in Knowledge; Part II Problems of Biological Knowledge; Chapter 5 The Antithesis between Vitalism and Mechanism; Chapter 6 The Theory of Biological Explanation; Chapter 7 The Antithesis between Structure and Function; Chapter 8 The Antithesis between Organism and Environment; Chapter 9 The Antithesis Between Preformation and Epigenesis; Chapter 10 The Antithesis between Teleology and Causation; Chapter 11 The Antithesis between Mind and Body; Chapter 12 The Future of Biology;