Structure of living substance: the main question of biology

Abstract

The position of biology among other natural sciences has been outlined by its subject matter – living substance. Due to the extraordinary complexity of the object, biology stands apart from other sciences. On the one hand theoretical apparatus of biology seems similar to physical one, as seen by academician V.S. Stepin. Biological theory contains ideal objects – both theoretical and empirical. Biology is also based on observation and experiments, though comprises model-making method, which plays important role in it. Biology as well as physics creates its own scientific picture of the world as the basis of both scientific physical and everyday social activity. On the other hand biology seems similar to ideographic sciences as focusing upon unique complex systems: from entire biosphere to living bodies and their sells. The paper highlights comparatively early attempts to gain solid theoretical basis to biology, “Theoretical biology” by E.S. Bauer (1935) and “Theory of biological field” written by A.G. Gurwitch (1921, 1944 – second ed.) being among them. The paper tries to emphasize exclusive role of speculation as the foundation of any theorizing. The main question of biology as seen from the philosophical point of view we would like to formulate as follows: what’s the difference of living from nonliving? This is the question, which all biologists try to answer first of all. In addition, we use the concept of autopoiesis, which implies the mutual influence on each other of the part and the whole in living matter, due to which the living system is capable of self-development. This process creates the foundation of all livings’ development. We put forwards our own hypothesis which tries to answer the main question of biology.