Orthogenesis versus Darwinism

Part 1. Orthogenesis: a history.- Chapter 1. The sources. Formation of the concept of directed evolution in the 19th century.- Chapter 2. Evolutionary biology at the turn of the 20th century. New concepts of directed evolution in the 1900-1930s.- Chapter 3. Declarations in favour of orthogenesis in the 1900-1930s.- Chapter 4. Orthogenesis and the modern evolutionary synthesis.- Chapter 5. New concepts of directed evolution in the recent history of evolutionary biology.- Chapter 6. Statements in support of orthogenesis in the 1950s and later.- Part 2. Orthogenesis: Pro et Contra.- Chapter 7. "Laws" in biology. - Chapter 8. Species senescence.- Chapter 9. Adaptation or non-adaptation? .- Chapter 10. Anticipation, parallelisms and convergences.- Chapter 11. Constraints on variation.- Chapter 12. Direct impact of the environment on evolution and the inheritance of acquired characteristics.- Chapter 13. Mystics or unrealised synthesis? Chapter 14. Conclusion.

"The volume focuses on and evaluates orthogenesis as a framework for understanding biological phenomena including aging, extinction, and convergent evolution. Each chapter is well referenced, and the entire volume is engagingly translated from the original Russian. ... The book will be of interest for historians of science, and thought provoking, ... for biological researchers. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, and professionals." (D. P. Genereux, Choice, Vol. 56 (11), July, 2019)