[Dialectic of the interrelationship between structure and function in biology and medicine]

The paper deals with some aspects of the dialectics of structure and function relationships in biological objects normally and pathologically. Idealistic and metaphysical concepts of the structure-function relationships (morphological idealism, holism, physiological idealism, functionalism) are critisized, and historical premises of these concepts are characterized. The principle of indissoluble unity and interconnection of changes in structure and function is emphasized, while the thesis of the primacy of function in the shaping of the form and the concept of functional diseases are rejected. Much attention is paid to the methodological principles of the study of structure and function based on the systemic approach to the investigation of biological objects from the point of view of structural levels and integratism. The groundlessness of the principles of reductionism and organicism in the solution of this problem is indicated. The connection of the concepts of structure and function with categories and laws of materialistic dialectics is dwelt on.