Principles of Biological Autonomy, a new annotated edition by Francisco J Varela

Principles of Biological Autonomy, a new annotated edition by Francisco J Varela

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Principles of Biological Autonomy, a new annotated edition by Francisco J Varela

A new, updated edition of the 1979 classic from one of the foremost authors in cognitive science and theoretical biology, with the original text as well as more than 200 citations to current scientific developments.

Francisco Varela's>Principles of Biological Autonomy was a groundbreaking text when it was first published in 1979, putting forth a novel theory of how living systems produce and maintain themselves. This new edition, edited and annotated by cognitive scientists Ezequiel Di Paolo and Evan Thompson--revised and complemented with introductory essays for each part of the book--contains a wealth of ideas relevant to current projects in theoretical biology, cognitive science, systems theory, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of biology. Over 220 margin annotations supplement the reading of the text, linking to subsequent research and broader contemporary debates.

This foundational book introduces the key concept of autonomy derived as an elaboration of the idea of autopoiesis (the self-production and self-distinction) of living organisms. Varela covers topics in systems theory, neuroscience, theories of perception, and immune networks, and offers a participatory epistemology that goes on to be further developed in later enactive literature. These ideas are compelling not only for historical reasons but also because they still illuminate current efforts in developing the enactive approach toward wider and more challenging goals (language, human cognition, ethics, environmentalism, etc.).

Francisco J. is a writer and a musician. Varela (1946-2001) was the Director of the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, as well as a Professor of Cognitive Science and Epistemology at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and a Cofounder of the Mind and Life Institute.

SKU Nicht verfügbar
ISBN 13 9780262551403
ISBN 10 0262551403
Titel Principles of Biological Autonomy, a new annotated edition
Autor Francisco J Varela
Buchzustand Nicht verfügbar
Bindungsart Paperback
Verlag MIT Press Ltd
Erscheinungsjahr 2025-05-13
Seitenanzahl 400
Hinweis auf dem Einband Die Abbildung des Buches dient nur Illustrationszwecken, die tatsächliche Bindung, das Cover und die Auflage können sich davon unterscheiden.
Hinweis Nicht verfügbar