Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences

Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences

Author: Daniel S. Brooks

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2021-08-24

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0262362252

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Scientific philosophers examine the nature and significance of levels of organization, a core structural principle in the biological sciences. This volume examines the idea of levels of organization as a distinct object of investigation, considering its merits as a core organizational principle for the scientific image of the natural world. It approaches levels of organization--roughly, the idea that the natural world is segregated into part-whole relationships of increasing spatiotemporal scale and complexity--in terms of its roles in scientific reasoning as a dynamic, open-ended idea capable of performing multiple overlapping functions in distinct empirical settings. The contributors--scientific philosophers with longstanding ties to the biological sciences--discuss topics including the philosophical and scientific contexts for an inquiry into levels; whether the concept can actually deliver on its organizational promises; the role of levels in the development and evolution of complex systems; conditional independence and downward causation; and the extension of the concept into the sociocultural realm. Taken together, the contributions embrace the diverse usages of the term as aspects of the big picture of levels of organization. Contributors Jan Baedke, Robert W. Batterman, Daniel S. Brooks, James DiFrisco, Markus I. Eronen, Carl Gillett, Sara Green, James Griesemer, Alan C. Love, Angela Potochnik, Thomas Reydon, Ilya Tëmkin, Jon Umerez, William C. Wimsatt, James Woodward


Book Synopsis Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences by : Daniel S. Brooks

Download or read book Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences written by Daniel S. Brooks and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2021-08-24 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientific philosophers examine the nature and significance of levels of organization, a core structural principle in the biological sciences. This volume examines the idea of levels of organization as a distinct object of investigation, considering its merits as a core organizational principle for the scientific image of the natural world. It approaches levels of organization--roughly, the idea that the natural world is segregated into part-whole relationships of increasing spatiotemporal scale and complexity--in terms of its roles in scientific reasoning as a dynamic, open-ended idea capable of performing multiple overlapping functions in distinct empirical settings. The contributors--scientific philosophers with longstanding ties to the biological sciences--discuss topics including the philosophical and scientific contexts for an inquiry into levels; whether the concept can actually deliver on its organizational promises; the role of levels in the development and evolution of complex systems; conditional independence and downward causation; and the extension of the concept into the sociocultural realm. Taken together, the contributions embrace the diverse usages of the term as aspects of the big picture of levels of organization. Contributors Jan Baedke, Robert W. Batterman, Daniel S. Brooks, James DiFrisco, Markus I. Eronen, Carl Gillett, Sara Green, James Griesemer, Alan C. Love, Angela Potochnik, Thomas Reydon, Ilya Tëmkin, Jon Umerez, William C. Wimsatt, James Woodward

Self-Organization in Biological Systems

Self-Organization in Biological Systems

Author: Scott Camazine

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2020-05-26

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 0691212929

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The synchronized flashing of fireflies at night. The spiraling patterns of an aggregating slime mold. The anastomosing network of army-ant trails. The coordinated movements of a school of fish. Researchers are finding in such patterns--phenomena that have fascinated naturalists for centuries--a fertile new approach to understanding biological systems: the study of self-organization. This book, a primer on self-organization in biological systems for students and other enthusiasts, introduces readers to the basic concepts and tools for studying self-organization and then examines numerous examples of self-organization in the natural world. Self-organization refers to diverse pattern formation processes in the physical and biological world, from sand grains assembling into rippled dunes to cells combining to create highly structured tissues to individual insects working to create sophisticated societies. What these diverse systems hold in common is the proximate means by which they acquire order and structure. In self-organizing systems, pattern at the global level emerges solely from interactions among lower-level components. Remarkably, even very complex structures result from the iteration of surprisingly simple behaviors performed by individuals relying on only local information. This striking conclusion suggests important lines of inquiry: To what degree is environmental rather than individual complexity responsible for group complexity? To what extent have widely differing organisms adopted similar, convergent strategies of pattern formation? How, specifically, has natural selection determined the rules governing interactions within biological systems? Broad in scope, thorough yet accessible, this book is a self-contained introduction to self-organization and complexity in biology--a field of study at the forefront of life sciences research.


Book Synopsis Self-Organization in Biological Systems by : Scott Camazine

Download or read book Self-Organization in Biological Systems written by Scott Camazine and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-26 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The synchronized flashing of fireflies at night. The spiraling patterns of an aggregating slime mold. The anastomosing network of army-ant trails. The coordinated movements of a school of fish. Researchers are finding in such patterns--phenomena that have fascinated naturalists for centuries--a fertile new approach to understanding biological systems: the study of self-organization. This book, a primer on self-organization in biological systems for students and other enthusiasts, introduces readers to the basic concepts and tools for studying self-organization and then examines numerous examples of self-organization in the natural world. Self-organization refers to diverse pattern formation processes in the physical and biological world, from sand grains assembling into rippled dunes to cells combining to create highly structured tissues to individual insects working to create sophisticated societies. What these diverse systems hold in common is the proximate means by which they acquire order and structure. In self-organizing systems, pattern at the global level emerges solely from interactions among lower-level components. Remarkably, even very complex structures result from the iteration of surprisingly simple behaviors performed by individuals relying on only local information. This striking conclusion suggests important lines of inquiry: To what degree is environmental rather than individual complexity responsible for group complexity? To what extent have widely differing organisms adopted similar, convergent strategies of pattern formation? How, specifically, has natural selection determined the rules governing interactions within biological systems? Broad in scope, thorough yet accessible, this book is a self-contained introduction to self-organization and complexity in biology--a field of study at the forefront of life sciences research.

Concepts of Biology

Concepts of Biology

Author: Samantha Fowler

Publisher:

Published: 2018-01-07

Total Pages: 618

ISBN-13: 9789888407453

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Concepts of Biology is designed for the single-semester introduction to biology course for non-science majors, which for many students is their only college-level science course. As such, this course represents an important opportunity for students to develop the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to make informed decisions as they continue with their lives. Rather than being mired down with facts and vocabulary, the typical non-science major student needs information presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. Even more importantly, the content should be meaningful. Students do much better when they understand why biology is relevant to their everyday lives. For these reasons, Concepts of Biology is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand.We also strive to show the interconnectedness of topics within this extremely broad discipline. In order to meet the needs of today's instructors and students, we maintain the overall organization and coverage found in most syllabi for this course. A strength of Concepts of Biology is that instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Concepts of Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand--and apply--key concepts.


Book Synopsis Concepts of Biology by : Samantha Fowler

Download or read book Concepts of Biology written by Samantha Fowler and published by . This book was released on 2018-01-07 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concepts of Biology is designed for the single-semester introduction to biology course for non-science majors, which for many students is their only college-level science course. As such, this course represents an important opportunity for students to develop the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to make informed decisions as they continue with their lives. Rather than being mired down with facts and vocabulary, the typical non-science major student needs information presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. Even more importantly, the content should be meaningful. Students do much better when they understand why biology is relevant to their everyday lives. For these reasons, Concepts of Biology is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand.We also strive to show the interconnectedness of topics within this extremely broad discipline. In order to meet the needs of today's instructors and students, we maintain the overall organization and coverage found in most syllabi for this course. A strength of Concepts of Biology is that instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Concepts of Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand--and apply--key concepts.

Principles of Biology

Principles of Biology

Author: Lisa Bartee

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781636350417

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The Principles of Biology sequence (BI 211, 212 and 213) introduces biology as a scientific discipline for students planning to major in biology and other science disciplines. Laboratories and classroom activities introduce techniques used to study biological processes and provide opportunities for students to develop their ability to conduct research.


Book Synopsis Principles of Biology by : Lisa Bartee

Download or read book Principles of Biology written by Lisa Bartee and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Principles of Biology sequence (BI 211, 212 and 213) introduces biology as a scientific discipline for students planning to major in biology and other science disciplines. Laboratories and classroom activities introduce techniques used to study biological processes and provide opportunities for students to develop their ability to conduct research.

Scanning Electron Microscopy in BIOLOGY

Scanning Electron Microscopy in BIOLOGY

Author: R.G. Kessel

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 3642808344

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In the continuing quest to explore structure and to relate struc tural organization to functional significance, the scientist has developed a vast array of microscopes. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) represents a recent and important advance in the development of useful tools for investigating the structural organization of matter. Recent progress in both technology and methodology has resulted in numerous biological publications in which the SEM has been utilized exclusively or in connection with other types of microscopes to reveal surface as well as intracellular details in plant and animal tissues and organs. Because of the resolution and depth of focus presented in the SEM photograph when compared, for example, with that in the light microscope photographs, images recorded with the SEM have widely circulated in newspapers, periodicals and scientific journals in recent times. Considering the utility and present status of scanning electron microscopy, it seemed to us to be a particularly appropriate time to assemble a text-atlas dealing with biological applications of scanning electron microscopy so that such information might be presented to the student and to others not yet familiar with its capabilities in teaching and research. The major goal of this book, therefore, has been to assemble material that would be useful to those students beginning their study of botany or zoo logy, as well as to beginning medical students and students in advanced biology courses.


Book Synopsis Scanning Electron Microscopy in BIOLOGY by : R.G. Kessel

Download or read book Scanning Electron Microscopy in BIOLOGY written by R.G. Kessel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the continuing quest to explore structure and to relate struc tural organization to functional significance, the scientist has developed a vast array of microscopes. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) represents a recent and important advance in the development of useful tools for investigating the structural organization of matter. Recent progress in both technology and methodology has resulted in numerous biological publications in which the SEM has been utilized exclusively or in connection with other types of microscopes to reveal surface as well as intracellular details in plant and animal tissues and organs. Because of the resolution and depth of focus presented in the SEM photograph when compared, for example, with that in the light microscope photographs, images recorded with the SEM have widely circulated in newspapers, periodicals and scientific journals in recent times. Considering the utility and present status of scanning electron microscopy, it seemed to us to be a particularly appropriate time to assemble a text-atlas dealing with biological applications of scanning electron microscopy so that such information might be presented to the student and to others not yet familiar with its capabilities in teaching and research. The major goal of this book, therefore, has been to assemble material that would be useful to those students beginning their study of botany or zoo logy, as well as to beginning medical students and students in advanced biology courses.

The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior

The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior

Author: Stephen M. Colarelli

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2015-01-02

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 022612715X

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When biological theories were used to understand behavior in the early 20th century, they were often poorly understood. Ideas about race, ethnicity, and IQ, and notions of social Darwinism, were based on a misunderstanding and an incomplete understanding of genetics and Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection. Now, however, a biological understanding of social behavior is an integral part of modern science, and increasingly used in the study of behavior in organizations. Yet, compared with other explanatory paradigms in organizational behavior, biological and evolutionary approaches are still relatively rare. "The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior" provides accessible insights for scholars and practitioners in management and organizational behavior into what biology can offer their fields. Chapters contain enough background to orient readers who may have little knowledge of biology, and provide substantive contributions to advancing understanding of specific areas of biology and human behavior in organizations. They also show how the addition of biological theory and research to organizational-behavior scholarship will increase its explanatory and predictive power and contribute to its scientific foundations."


Book Synopsis The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior by : Stephen M. Colarelli

Download or read book The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior written by Stephen M. Colarelli and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-01-02 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When biological theories were used to understand behavior in the early 20th century, they were often poorly understood. Ideas about race, ethnicity, and IQ, and notions of social Darwinism, were based on a misunderstanding and an incomplete understanding of genetics and Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection. Now, however, a biological understanding of social behavior is an integral part of modern science, and increasingly used in the study of behavior in organizations. Yet, compared with other explanatory paradigms in organizational behavior, biological and evolutionary approaches are still relatively rare. "The Biological Foundations of Organizational Behavior" provides accessible insights for scholars and practitioners in management and organizational behavior into what biology can offer their fields. Chapters contain enough background to orient readers who may have little knowledge of biology, and provide substantive contributions to advancing understanding of specific areas of biology and human behavior in organizations. They also show how the addition of biological theory and research to organizational-behavior scholarship will increase its explanatory and predictive power and contribute to its scientific foundations."

Biological Autonomy

Biological Autonomy

Author: Alvaro Moreno

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-05-04

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 9401798370

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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.


Book Synopsis Biological Autonomy by : Alvaro Moreno

Download or read book Biological Autonomy written by Alvaro Moreno and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-05-04 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Design in Nature

Design in Nature

Author: Adrian Bejan

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2013-01-08

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 0307744345

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In this groundbreaking book, Adrian Bejan takes the recurring patterns in nature—trees, tributaries, air passages, neural networks, and lightning bolts—and reveals how a single principle of physics, the constructal law, accounts for the evolution of these and many other designs in our world. Everything—from biological life to inanimate systems—generates shape and structure and evolves in a sequence of ever-improving designs in order to facilitate flow. River basins, cardiovascular systems, and bolts of lightning are very efficient flow systems to move a current—of water, blood, or electricity. Likewise, the more complex architecture of animals evolve to cover greater distance per unit of useful energy, or increase their flow across the land. Such designs also appear in human organizations, like the hierarchical “flowcharts” or reporting structures in corporations and political bodies. All are governed by the same principle, known as the constructal law, and configure and reconfigure themselves over time to flow more efficiently. Written in an easy style that achieves clarity without sacrificing complexity, Design in Nature is a paradigm-shifting book that will fundamentally transform our understanding of the world around us.


Book Synopsis Design in Nature by : Adrian Bejan

Download or read book Design in Nature written by Adrian Bejan and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2013-01-08 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking book, Adrian Bejan takes the recurring patterns in nature—trees, tributaries, air passages, neural networks, and lightning bolts—and reveals how a single principle of physics, the constructal law, accounts for the evolution of these and many other designs in our world. Everything—from biological life to inanimate systems—generates shape and structure and evolves in a sequence of ever-improving designs in order to facilitate flow. River basins, cardiovascular systems, and bolts of lightning are very efficient flow systems to move a current—of water, blood, or electricity. Likewise, the more complex architecture of animals evolve to cover greater distance per unit of useful energy, or increase their flow across the land. Such designs also appear in human organizations, like the hierarchical “flowcharts” or reporting structures in corporations and political bodies. All are governed by the same principle, known as the constructal law, and configure and reconfigure themselves over time to flow more efficiently. Written in an easy style that achieves clarity without sacrificing complexity, Design in Nature is a paradigm-shifting book that will fundamentally transform our understanding of the world around us.

Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy and Physiology

Author: J. Gordon Betts

Publisher:

Published: 2013-04-25

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781947172807

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Book Synopsis Anatomy and Physiology by : J. Gordon Betts

Download or read book Anatomy and Physiology written by J. Gordon Betts and published by . This book was released on 2013-04-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Systematics and the Origin of Species

Systematics and the Origin of Species

Author: National Academy of Sciences

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2005-09-28

Total Pages: 382

ISBN-13: 0309165105

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In December 2004, the National Academy of Sciences sponsored a colloquium on "Systematics and the Origin of Species" to celebrate Ernst Mayr's 100th anniversary and to explore current knowledge concerning the origin of species. In 1942, Ernst Mayr, one of the twentieth century's greatest scientists, published Systematics and the Origin of Species, a seminal book of the modern theory of evolution, where he advanced the significance of population variation in the understanding of evolutionary process and the origin of new species. Mayr formulated the transition from Linnaeus's static species concept to the dynamic species concept of the modern theory of evolution and emphasized the species as a community of populations, the role of reproductive isolation, and the ecological interactions between species. In addition to a preceding essay by Edward O. Wilson, this book includes the 16 papers presented by distinguished evolutionists at the colloquium. The papers are organized into sections covering the origins of species barriers, the processes of species divergence, the nature of species, the meaning of "species," and genomic approaches for understanding diversity and speciation.


Book Synopsis Systematics and the Origin of Species by : National Academy of Sciences

Download or read book Systematics and the Origin of Species written by National Academy of Sciences and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-09-28 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In December 2004, the National Academy of Sciences sponsored a colloquium on "Systematics and the Origin of Species" to celebrate Ernst Mayr's 100th anniversary and to explore current knowledge concerning the origin of species. In 1942, Ernst Mayr, one of the twentieth century's greatest scientists, published Systematics and the Origin of Species, a seminal book of the modern theory of evolution, where he advanced the significance of population variation in the understanding of evolutionary process and the origin of new species. Mayr formulated the transition from Linnaeus's static species concept to the dynamic species concept of the modern theory of evolution and emphasized the species as a community of populations, the role of reproductive isolation, and the ecological interactions between species. In addition to a preceding essay by Edward O. Wilson, this book includes the 16 papers presented by distinguished evolutionists at the colloquium. The papers are organized into sections covering the origins of species barriers, the processes of species divergence, the nature of species, the meaning of "species," and genomic approaches for understanding diversity and speciation.