Creation and evolution: a biosemiotic approach

"The issues surrounding Darwin's theory of evolution as a function of the survival of the fittest have hardly abated since they were initially promulgated about 150 ago. The reason is clear: behind the theory of evolution is a doctrine of structure of organisms that can be explained only by fitting the adaptation to the external world. The older doctrines of creation have been at odds with evolutionism from the outset--sometimes utilizing straight theological arguments and at other times employing sophisticated scientific arguments. Into the breach steps Friedrich S. Rothschild, a trained neurologist, psychologist and physician. On the basis of his researches in comparative embryology, Rothschild argues that the central nervous system of animals as well as humans conveys meaning just like language, and not just a system aimed at adaptation to the external environment. His theory of biosemiotics introduces the concept of inner adaptation. This adaptation to the principal forces assign meaning to life. In monotheistic religions this force is called God. The issue of adaptation is therefore both external and internal, related to growth of the person no less than the environment. This book is intended for those who are interested in life and its varied meanings, to students of sociobiology and medicine as well as those concerned with humanities."--

Name of the translator from the print version record.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Acknowledgements -- Table of Contents -- Introduction -- Part One -- 1. Foundation of the Method in the Search for Meaning -- 2. The Present Situation of Mankind -- 3. The Influence of the Phenomenology of Ludwig Klages on Biosemiotics -- 4. The Mediated Directness of Communication and its Evolution within the Sign Systems -- 5. The Cycle of Understanding in Communication -- 6. The Antagonistic and Complementary Dynamics in the Origin of Communication -- 7. God as the Origin of Communication -- 8. Analogies of Reflection in the Superposition of Sign Systems -- 9. Diploidity of Cells and the Development of Dialogue -- 10. Potential and Real Aspects of Communication for the Mediation of Inner and Outer Systems -- 11. The Neural System as Mediator of the Soul -- 12. The Noetic System and the Freedom of Intellectual Acts -- 13. The Relation of Mental Acts to the Dominant Hemisphere -- 14. Thinking and Speaking -- 15. Parallels to Biosemiotics in Viktor von Weizsaecker's Writings -- Part Two -- 16. The Philosophical Biology and Anthropology of Helmuth Plessner -- 17. Inner Adaptation in the Analogies of Cybernetics -- 18. …