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Using Whole Mount in situ Hybridization to Link Molecular and Organismal Biology

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Published on: March 31, 2011

Does biology need an organism concept?

John W Pepper¹, Matthew D Herron

¹The University of Arizona Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. jpepper1@email.arizona.edu

Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

|October 25, 2008

Summary

Biologists debate the definition of "organism." This study argues the organism concept is vital for biology, proposing that criteria for recognizing organisms are variable, not absolute.

Area of Science:

* Evolutionary Biology
* Philosophy of Biology
* Theoretical Biology

Background:

* Lack of consensus exists among biologists regarding the definition of an 'organism'.
* Competing organism concepts and definitions are prevalent, with some questioning the necessity of a unified concept.
* The organism concept's centrality to biological inquiry is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

* To assert the indispensable role of the organism concept in biological sciences.
* To evaluate the utility of various organism concepts and operational definitions.
* To explore the origins and evolutionary development of organismality.

Main Methods:

* Literature review of existing organism concepts and definitions.

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* Analysis of criteria used for organism recognition.

* Examination of theoretical frameworks for the evolution of organismality.

Main Results:

* Criteria for recognizing organisms are continuous rather than categorical.
* Different organism concepts serve distinct explanatory purposes and require explicit definition.
* Organismality may arise from positive feedback between natural selection and functional integration.

Conclusions:

* The organism concept is fundamental to biology and should be retained.
* Flexibility in applying organism concepts is necessary, with clear articulation of the chosen definition.
* The evolution of organismality is linked to the interplay of selection and integration.