Form and Function: A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology

"Form and Function: A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology" by E.S. (Edward Stuart) Russell is a scientific exploration into the story of animal morphology, examining how our understanding of animal shapes and their functions has grown from ancient thinkers like Alcmaeon and Aristotle to more modern times. The book shines a light on the evolution of comparative anatomy, focusing on how early scientists observed, classified, and recognized the connections between different species through shared structures and functional adaptations, with a specific focus on Aristotle’s pivotal role in laying the foundation for comparing anatomy of different animals. Russell’s work emphasizes the ongoing story of ideas in morphology, showing how different theories have interacted and built upon each other throughout history.