Understanding purpose? Kant and the philosophy of biology
type: Dataset
description: Understanding Purpose is an exploration of the central concept of natural purpose (Naturzweck) in Kant's philosophy of biology. Kant's work in this area is marked by a strong teleological concern: living organisms, in his view, are qualitatively different from mechanistic devices, and as a result they cannot be understood by means of the same principles. At the same time, Kant's own use of the concept of purpose does not presuppose any theological commitments, and is merely "regulative," that is, it is employed as a heuristic device. The contributors to this volume also investigate the following key historical questions relating to Kant's philosophy of biology: how does it relate to European work in the life sciences that was done before Kant arrived on the scene? How did Kant's unique approach to the philosophy of biology in turn influence later work in this area? The issues explored in this volume are as pertinent to the history of philosophy as they are to the history of science-it is precisely the blurred boundaries between these two disciplines that allows for new perspectives on Kantianism and early nineteenth-century German biology to emerge.
landing page: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00790936
identifier: ISBN: 978-1580462655
keyword: books
keyword: infoeu-reposemanticsbook
keyword: kant
keyword: philosophy-of-biology
keyword: shshisphilsohumanities-and-social-scienceshistory-philosophy-and-sociology-of-sciences
issued: 2026-05-14T08:32:00.499447
modified: 2026-05-14T08:32:00.499453
language: en
contact point: Organization
  fn: CCSD

test_moissonnage_selune
type: Agent

Understanding purpose? Kant and the philosophy of biology
type: Distribution
format: HTML
access URL: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00790936
issued: 2026-05-14T08:32:00.512168
modified: 2026-05-14T08:32:00.487479