Plasticity as a Historical and Philosophical Problem

Plasticity of living systems has long attracted life scientists in different fields, but a detailed philosophical analysis of the very concept has yet to be undertaken. Antonine Nicoglou’s Plasticity in the Life Sciences addresses this problem. By combining a historical examination of the concept of plasticity from Aristotle to contemporary biology and philosophical analysis of its status and roles in biological research, the book provides a rich picture of plasticity as a “boundary concept.” It is also a great example of a highly integrated historical and philosophical inquiry into a scientific concept.