The synthetic theory of evolution: general problems and the German contribution to the synthesis

The synthetic theory of evolution: general problems and the German contribution to the synthesis

A metatheoretical and historiographical re-analysis of the Evolutionary Synthesis (the process) and the Synthetic Theory (the result) leads to the following conclusion: The Synthetic Theory is not a reductionistic, but rather a structuralistic theory with a limited range of relevant hierarchical lev...

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Veröffentlicht in:Theory in biosciences = Theorie in den Biowissenschaften 2000, Vol.119 (1), p.41-91
Hauptverfasser: Reif, Wolf-Ernst, Junker, Thomas, Hoßfeld, Uwe
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
history of biology
macroevolution
natural selection
philosophy of science
scientific revolution
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:A metatheoretical and historiographical re-analysis of the Evolutionary Synthesis (the process) and the Synthetic Theory (the result) leads to the following conclusion: The Synthetic Theory is not a reductionistic, but rather a structuralistic theory with a limited range of relevant hierarchical levels. Historically the Synthesis was not a sudden event but a rational long-term project carried out between 1930 and 1950 by a large number of biologists in several countries. In the second part of our paper the contributions of several German biologists to the Synthesis are analyzed.
ISSN:1431-7613
1611-7530
DOI:10.1078/1431-7613-00004