Form and Function: A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology

In this concise yet richly illustrated work, the author maps the evolving ideas about animal shape and purpose, guiding listeners through the shifting currents that have shaped morphology over two millennia. He distinguishes three principal schools of thought—the functional or synthetic approach championed by Aristotle, Cuvier and von Baer; the formal or transcendental line inspired by Geoffroy St‑Hilaire; and the materialistic, mechanically‑driven perspective that grew from the Greek atomists to 19th‑century science. By tracing how each view wrestles with the core question—whether form follows function or vice versa—the book offers a clear picture of the intellectual battles that have driven biological inquiry.

The author openly aligns with the functional camp, arguing that the most revealing insights lie in an organism’s active responses—its behaviour and post‑embryonic development—rather than in static structural catalogues. Throughout, vivid plates drawn by his wife complement the narrative, bringing classic sketches from Cuvier to von Baer to life for the ear. Listeners will come away with a renewed appreciation for how historical context enriches modern understanding of form and function in the animal kingdom.