Abstract
In this paper I respond to Wim van der Steen's arguments against the supposed current overemphasis on norms ofcoherence andinterdisciplinary integration in biology. On the normative level, I argue that these aremiddle-range norms which, although they may be misapplied in short-term attempts to solve (temporarily?) intractable problems, play a guiding role in the longer-term treatment of biological problems. This stance is supported by a case study of apartial success story, the development of the one gene — one enzyme hypothesis. As that case shows, thegoal of coherent interdisciplinary integration not only provides guidance for research, but also provides the standard for recognizingfailed integrations of the sort that van der Steen criticizes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Astbury, W.T.: 1938, ‘Some Recent Developments in the X-ray Study of Proteins and Related Structures’,Cold Spring Harbor Symposia in Quantitative Biology 6, 109–121.
Avery, O.T., C.M. MacLeod, and M. McCarty: 1944, ‘Studies on the Chemical Nature of the Substance Inducing Transformation of Pneumococcal Types’,Journal of Experimental Medicine 79, 137–157.
Beadle, G.W.: 1944–45, ‘The Genetic Control of Biochemical Reactions’,The Harvey Lectures 40, 179–194.
Beadle, G.W.: 1945a, ‘Genetics and Metabolism inNeurospora’,Physiological Reviews 25, 643–663.
Beadle, G.W.: 1945b, ‘Biochemical Genetics’,Chemical Reviews 37, 15–96.
Beadle, G.W. and E.L. Tatum: 1941a, ‘Experimental Control of Development and Differentiation: Genetic Control of Developmental Reactions’,American Naturalist 75, 107–116.
Beadle, G.W. and E.L. Tatum: 1941b, ‘Genetic Control of Biochemical Reactions inNeurospora’,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 27, 499–506.
Burian, R.M.: in progress, ‘Underappreciated Pathways Toward Molecular Genetics’, for S. Sarkar, ed., a Volume on Philosophy and History of Molecular Biology.
Burian, R.M., J. Gayon, and D. Zallen: 1988, ‘The Singular Fate of Genetics in the History of French Biology, 1900–1940’,Journal of the History of Biology 21, 357–402.
Burian, R.M., J. Gayon, and D. Zallen: 1991, ‘Boris Ephrussi and the Synthesis of Genetics and Embryology’, in S. Gilbert (ed.),A Conceptual History of Embryology, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 207–227.
Darden, L.: 1991,Theory Change in Science: Strategies from Mendelian Genetics, Oxford University Press, New York.
Ephrussi, B. and G.W. Beadle: 1935, ‘La Transplantation des Disques imaginaux chez les Drosophiles’,Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences 201, 98–100.
Gulick, A.: 1938, ‘What are the Genes? II. The Physico-chemical Picture; Conclusions’,Quarterly Review of Biology 13, 140–168.
Gulick, A.: 1944, ‘The Chemical Formulation of Gene Structures and Gene Action’,Advances in Enzymology 4, 1–39.
Kay, L.: 1992,The Molecular Vision of Life: Caltech, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Rise of the New Biology, Oxford University Press, New York.
Maynard Smith, J., R. Burian, S. Kauffman, P. Alberch, J. Campbell, B. Goodwin, R. Lande, D. Raup, and L. Wolpert: 1985, ‘Developmental Constraints and Evolution: A Perspective from the Mountain Lake Conference’,Quarterly Review of Biology 60, 265–287.
Monod, J.: 1947, ‘The Phenomenon of Enzymatic Adaptation and its Bearings on Problems of Genetics and Cellular Differentiation’,Growth Symposium 11, 223–289.
Spiegelman, S.: 1950, ‘Modern Aspects of Enzymatic Adaptation’, in J.B. Sumner, and K. Myrback (eds.),The Enzymes, Academic Press, New York, pp. 267–306.
Tatum, E.L. and G.W. Beadle: 1942, ‘The Relation of Genetics to Growth-Factors and Hormones’,Growth 6, 27–35.
Tatum, E.L. and G.W. Beadle: 1945, ‘Biochemical Genetics ofNeurospora’.Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 32, 125–129.
Van der Steen, W.J.: 1990a, ‘Interdisciplinary Integration in Biology? An Overview’,Acta Biotheoretica 38, 23–36.
Van der Steen, W.J.: 1990b, ‘Concepts in Biology: A Survey of Practical Methodological Principles’,Journal of Theoretical Biology 143, 383–403.
Van der Steen, W.J. and P. Sloep: 1988, ‘Mere Generality is not Enough’,Biology and Philosophy 3, 217–219.
Van der Steen, W.J. and P.J. Thung: 1988,Faces of Medicine: A Philosophical Study, Kluwer, Dordrecht.
Wright, S.: 1941, ‘The Philosophy of the Gene’,Physiology Reviews 21, 487–527.
Wright, S.: 1945, ‘Genes as Physiological Agents’,American Naturalist 79, 289–303.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Burian, R.M. Unification and coherence as methodological objectives in the biological sciences. Biol Philos 8, 301–318 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00860431
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00860431