Jakob von Uexkull (eBook)

Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductory Chapter1. The life and Education of Jakob von Uexküll1.1 The First Studies in Philosophy and Science1.2 Research Trips and Contributions to Physiology1.3 Arising of Political and Philosophical Interests and the Transition to Theoretical Biology1.4 The Institut für Umweltforschung in Hamburg1.5 Frictions with the Nazi Regime and Death2. The Basis of the Environmental Theory2.1 Uexküll’s Position in the Mechanist-Vitalist Debate2.2 Periodization of Uexküll’s Production2.3 For a Teleological Biology: the Concept of Bauplan2.4 Towards the Umwelt: the Concept of Milieu2.5 The Issue of Protoplasm3. The Subjective World of the Umwelt3.1 The Origin of the Concept3.2 The Gegenwelt3.3 The Re perceived Environment as a Species-specific Transcendental Construction4. The Structure of the Umwelt4.1 The Functional Circle4.2 The Human Observer’s Environment4.3 The Foundation of Theoretical Biology4.3.1 Signs in the Environment: the Transcendental Biosemiotics of Uexküll4.3.2 Towards a Theory of Animal Action4.3.3 Embryogenesis in Theoretische Biologie4.3.4 The Origin of Species in Theoretische Biologie5. Environment and Meaning5.1 Between Theoretical Biology and Ethology: A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans5.2 Lines of Action in the Subjective Environment: Operative Images5.2.1 The Operative Space: Familiar Paths, Home and Territories5.2.2 Individual Recognition and “Companions” in Social Birds5.2.3 The Search Tone5.2.4 Magical Environments5.2.5 The Environment of Man: the Emergence of Intra-specific Variability5.3 The Theory of Meaning5.4 Dialogues on the Biological Vision of the World5.4.1 The Logic of the Living Being: Plato against Darwin5.4.2 The Eternal Question: Biology and Personal Immortality6. Influences and Interpretations of the Work of Uexküll6.1 Uexküll in XX Century German Philosophical Anthropology6.1.1 Scheler6.1.2 Plessner6.1.3 Gehlen6.1.4 Cassirer6.1.5 Langer6.2 Uexküll in XX Century Philosophy6.2.1 Heidegger6.2.2 Ebner6.2.3 Lacan6.3.4 Canguilhem6.2.5 Merleau-Ponty6.2.6 Deleuze and Guattari6.3 The Relationship between Lorenz and Uexküll6.4 Sebeok and Contemporary SemioticsConclusion1. The Formation of the Umwelt: Perceptive Selection or Transcendental Constitution?2. Vitalism and Teleology in Uexküll3. Limits and Prospects of the Uexküllian Environmental TheoryReferences1. Primary literature1.1 Works of Jakob von Uexküll1.2 Works with Jakob von Uexküll as Co-author2. Secondary literature2.1. Works about Jakob von Uexküll2.2 General referencesIndex