“A Single and Indivisible Principle of Unity”: On Growth and Form in Context

Matthew Jarron (Lead / Corresponding author)

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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    Abstract

    D’Arcy Thompson’s On Growth and Form is one of the key works at the intersection of science and the imagination. This introductory essay explores the book and its context, drawing on archival sources to provide a unique perspective. It looks at Thompson’s own life and career, his experiences at University College, Dundee, and how he came to write the book. It describes the contents of the 1917 first edition (as many today are familiar only with the 1961 abridgement of the 1942 second edition). It looks at the book’s initial reception, exploring the context of biological ideas of the time, particularly in regard to Thompson’s perceived opposition to Darwinian theory and the debate between vitalism and mechanism. It explores the early influence of the book on ecologists and systems theorists and other early attempts at mathematical biology, as well as its significant influence on artists and architects. It then describes the development of the second edition of the book and the subsequent increase of interest in his work from both artists and scientists. It concludes by summarizing recent initiatives in the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum.

    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages15
    JournalBiological Theory
    Early online date12 Oct 2023
    DOIs
    Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 12 Oct 2023

    Keywords

    • D’Arcy Thompson
    • History of biology
    • Interdisciplinarity
    • Mathematical biology

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
    • History and Philosophy of Science

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