Chance and Necessity An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology

includes index and biblioraphy

1. About Strange Objects the natural and the artificial - difficulties of a space pro¬gramme - objects endowed with a purpose - self-constructing machines - self-reproducing machines - strange properties: invariance and teleonomy - the `paradox` of invariance -teleonomy and the principle of objectivity 2. Vitalisms and Animisms 32 the priority relationship between invariance and teleonomy: a fundamental dilemma - metaphysical vitalism - scientistic vitalism - the animist projection and the `ancient covenant` -scientistic progressism - the animist projection in dialectical materialism - the need for a critical epistemology - the epistemological bankruptcy of dialectical materialism - the anthropocentric illusion - the biosphere a unique occurrence nondeducible from first principles 3. Maxwell`s Demons 51 proteins as molecular agents of structural and functional teleonomy - the enzyme-proteins as specific catalysts -covalent and noncovalent bonds - the concept of the non-covalent stereospecific complex - Maxwell`s demon 4. Microscopic Cybernetics 65 functional coherence of cellular machinery - regulatory proteins and the logic of regulations - mechanism of allosteric interactions - regulation of the synthesis of enzymes - the concept of gratuity - `holism` v. `reductionism` 5. Molecular Ontogenesis the spontaneous association of subunits in oligomeric proteins - the spontaneous structuration of complex particles - micro¬scopic morphogenesis and macroscopic morphogenesis -primary and globular structures of proteins - formation of globular structures - the false paradox of genetic enrichment -the ultima ratio of teleonomic structures - the interpretation of the message 6. Invariance and Perturbations Plato and Heraclitus - anatomical invariants - the chemical invariants - DNA as the fundamental invariant - the trans¬lation of the code - the irreversibility of translation - micro¬scopic perturbations - operational uncertainty and essential uiicertainty - evolution: absolute creation and not revelation 7. Evolution chance and necessity - the rich resources of chance - the `paradox` of species stability - irreversibility of evolution and the second law - origin of antibodies - behaviour orients the pressures of selection - language and the evolution of man -the primary acquisition of language - the acquisition of language programmed in the epigenetic development of the brain 8. The Frontiers the present frontiers of knowledge in the field of biology - the problem of life`s origins - the riddle of the code`s origins - the other frontier: the central nervous system - functions of the central nervous system - the analysis of sense impressions -empiricism and innateness - the function of simulation - the dualist illusion and the presence of the spirit 9. The Kingdom and the Darkness 150 the pressures of selection in the evolution of man - dangers of genetic degradation in modern societies - the selection of ideas - the need for an explanation - mythic and metaphysical ontogenies - the breakdown of the old covenant and the modern soul`s distress - values and knowledge - the ethic of knowledge - the ethic of knowledge and the socialist ideal