The Science and Philosophy of the Organism

"The Science and Philosophy of the Organism" by Hans Driesch is a scientific book from the early 1900s that examines biology and its relationship to the philosophy of nature. Driesch uses the book to further the knowledge of organismal biology. He intends to create hard rules about vitalism, the qualities of biological systems, and the developmental processes of organisms. Driesch shows how these relate to broader philosophical questions. Early on, the book introduces Driesch's reasons and background for giving the Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen. He wants to look at biological events beyond just what can be seen and measured, going into a philosophy that looks at natural processes. He thinks it is important to understand how scientific discoveries and their philosophical meanings interact, especially when talking about development and what life really is. The beginning is the setup for a full looking into both real-world and theoretical parts of biology, using examples from the study of embryos, like sea-urchins, to offer a solid base for future talks about what an organism is.