Karl Snell (1806-1886) war Professor für Mathematik und Physik in Jena. Neben seiner vielseitigen Tätigkeit als Pädagoge, Historiker, Politiker und Naturphilosoph beschäftigte er sich intensiv auch mit biologischen Fragen. Zu seinen herausragenden Leistungen gehört die Konzeption einer Evolutionstheorie, in welcher er die Tatsache der biologischen Abstammung mit zentralen Ideen der Philosophie des deutschen Idealismus verbindet. Auch die Frage nach der Herkunft des Menschen wird von Anfang an einbezogen. Neben der historischen Aufarbeitung, insbesondere seiner Auseinandersetzung mit dem Darwinismus, wird Snells evolutionstheoretische Position vor dem Hintergrund aktueller biologischer Erkenntnisse diskutiert. Ebenso wird sein Verständnis des Organismus in Beziehung zur heutigen Biologie und ihrer Suche nach Ganzheitskonzepten gesetzt.
Karl Snell (1806-1886) was a professor for mathematics and physics in Jena. Besides his varied activities as an educationalist, historian, politician and natural philosopher, he also dealt very intensively with questions of biology. His outstanding achievements include the conception of a theory of evolution in which he reconciles the fact of biological evolution with central ideas of German idealistic philosophy. The question as to the origin of the human being is also included from the start. In addition to the historical treatment, especially his discussion of Darwinism, Snell’s position with regard to evolutionary theory is dealt with against the background of current biological knowledge. His understanding of the organism is also put in relation to the biology of today and its search for holistic concepts.
Karl Snell (1806-1886) was a professor for mathematics and physics in Jena. Besides his varied activities as an educationalist, historian, politician and natural philosopher, he also dealt very intensively with questions of biology. His outstanding achievements include the conception of a theory of evolution in which he reconciles the fact of biological evolution with central ideas of German idealistic philosophy. The question as to the origin of the human being is also included from the start. In addition to the historical treatment, especially his discussion of Darwinism, Snell’s position with regard to evolutionary theory is dealt with against the background of current biological knowledge. His understanding of the organism is also put in relation to the biology of today and its search for holistic concepts.