《生物学思想发展的历史》中译2版书评  

Review on Mayr’s book entitled “The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance”

作　　者：崔肇春[1] 沈士弼[2] 黄诒森[3] 

机构地区：[1]大连医科大学基础医学院生物化学教研室,大连116044 [2]南京医科大学基础医学院生物化学教研室,南京210024 [3]江苏大学基础医学与医学技术学院生物化学系,镇江212013

出　　处：《生命的化学》2013年第2期111-114,共4页Chemistry of Life

摘　　要：恩斯特·迈尔(Ernst Mayr)教授发表的《生物学思想发展的历史》是一本里程碑式的巨著。在这本书里,Mayr为我们从哲学和宏观的高度去思考生物学的一些基本问题提供了样板。Mayr强调,要彻底搞清一个问题,从历史上去了解它是正道。Mayr进行宏观思维的一个表现就是他提出新概念的建立往往比新事实的发现还要重要,尤其是在生物科学中更是这样。他反复强调了生物学问题和物理学问题的区别。而且在生物学里,问为什么(what for?)往往会导致新概念的产生;而在物理学里问whatfor则往往毫无意义。本书叙述了包括达尔文在内的一些生物学家的学术思想和生平,涉及了他们的喜怒哀乐,读之犹如读侦探小说,饶有兴味。Prof. Mayr＇s voluminous book has set a milestone regarding to the study of the growth of biological thought. In this book, Mayr has provided us an example of thinking philosophically and macroscopically on some basic biological issues. He has emphasized that in order to know a topic thoroughly and comprehensively, a historical approach is the wise choice. Thinking macroscopically, he has put forward that in biology it is more important to propose new concepts than to discover new facts. He has repeatedly emphasized the differences between biology and physics. And in biology, asking ＂what for＂ sometimes can lead to the development of new concepts, while in physics, asking the same question usually is meaningless. This book has told the stories of some key biologists, including Darwin, and has touched their weals and woes. So it is interesting to read this book as if you are reading a detective story.

关 键 词：恩斯特·迈尔 《生物学思想发展的历史》 宏观思维 生物学问题和物理学问题的区别 现代综合进化论 

分 类 号：Q-5[生物学]