Organická paměť v embryonálním vývoji

Předložená disertační práce se zabývá tématem organické paměti, její definicí a funkcí, a stejně tak i jejími pojetími z různých historických hledisek. Užívám pojem "organické paměti" ve vztahu k autorům, kteří se tímto tématem již dříve zabývali (Elsasser 1987, Otis 1994, Barbieri 2003) a dále i jako pojem, který představuje paměť jinou než neuronovou/mozkovou. Obecné metafory paměti (v tomto případě paměti neuronové) jsou zásadně spojeny s pojmy jako úložiště, matice či místo. Pro spíše materialisticky založená pojetí paměti je navíc příznačné, že různé stavy jako emoce či vlastnosti mysli mohou být konkrétně lokalizovány v mozku. Na druhou stranu někteří filosofové popisovali paměť jako primárně časovou entitu bez konkrétní závislosti na hmotě či místě. Otázka organické paměti byla živá již v biologii 19. století, spojena především s filosofií lamarkismu (Hering 1870, Haeckel 1876, Butler 1910). Představy o organické paměti se v té době pohybovaly mezi vitalistickými a spíše materialistickými koncepcemi: v těch prvních byly buňkám či částečkám paměti přisuzovány psychologické atributy; ty druhé byly založeny na fyzikální či karteziánské doktríně a popisovaly paměť jako lokalizovatelné úložiště stop či fyzikálních vln. Nejdeterminističtější koncepce paměti jsou zakořeněny v metafoře počítače, i...The submitted thesis deals with the topic of organic memory, its definition and function, as well as its conceptions from various historical points of view. I use the term "organic memory" in respect to some authors who have previously dealt with this subject (Elsasser 1987, Otis 1994, Barbieri 2003) and also as a term by which to represent a kind of memory distinct from neuronal/cerebral memory. The general memory metaphors (in the case of neuronal memory) are essentially connected with terms such as storage, matrix, or place. For rather materialistic conception of memory, it is also symptomatic that different states such as emotions or mental faculties can be concretely localized in the brain tissue. On the contrary, some philosophers described memory as a primarily temporal entity without connection to place or matter. The question of organic memory was already vivid in 19th century biology, linked to Lamarckian philosophy (Hering 1870, Haeckel 1876, Butler 1910). The organic memory ideas floundered between vitalistic and rather materialistic conceptions: the first attributed some psychological features to cells or memory particles; the second was based on physics or in Cartesian doctrine, and described memory as essentially localized as a kind of storage of traces or patterns of physical waves....Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních vědDepartment of Philosophy and History of SciencePřírodovědecká fakultaFaculty of Scienc

Organic codes and memories

5 Abstract The backgrounds of Marcello Barbieri's semantic biology and the semiotic biology are confronted in the issue of autonomy of living systems. In the place of an interpreter in Pierce's triad, in Barbieri's case there stands a code. Although both concepts attribute important status to the meaning in biology (which is left out outside the scope of semiotic tradition), both concepts are by definition different in the way of apprehension the nature of living systems and of basic biological ideas. Codes are considered to have fundamental status in Barbieri's concept. From this point of view the analysis of histone code hypothesis seems to be appropriate. Can we say (according to our today's scientific knowledge) that histone code truly fulfills demands of Barbieri's concept of codes? Another Barbieri's idea of epigenesis functioning on the basis of biological memory can be unfolded not only thanks to analysis of the phylotypic stage's role, but also by similar analysis of the homeotic genes' role in morphogenesis of vertebrates, because even these genes can be regarded as biological memory of species. These analyses will lead us step by step to the negation of the thesis "cultura contra natura"

Organic memory in embryonic development

The submitted thesis deals with the topic of organic memory, its definition and function, as well as its conceptions from various historical points of view. I use the term "organic memory" in respect to some authors who have previously dealt with this subject (Elsasser 1987, Otis 1994, Barbieri 2003) and also as a term by which to represent a kind of memory distinct from neuronal/cerebral memory. The general memory metaphors (in the case of neuronal memory) are essentially connected with terms such as storage, matrix, or place. For rather materialistic conception of memory, it is also symptomatic that different states such as emotions or mental faculties can be concretely localized in the brain tissue. On the contrary, some philosophers described memory as a primarily temporal entity without connection to place or matter. The question of organic memory was already vivid in 19th century biology, linked to Lamarckian philosophy (Hering 1870, Haeckel 1876, Butler 1910). The organic memory ideas floundered between vitalistic and rather materialistic conceptions: the first attributed some psychological features to cells or memory particles; the second was based on physics or in Cartesian doctrine, and described memory as essentially localized as a kind of storage of traces or patterns of physical waves...

Organic memory in embryonic development

The submitted thesis deals with the topic of organic memory, its definition and function, as well as its conceptions from various historical points of view. I use the term "organic memory" in respect to some authors who have previously dealt with this subject (Elsasser 1987, Otis 1994, Barbieri 2003) and also as a term by which to represent a kind of memory distinct from neuronal/cerebral memory. The general memory metaphors (in the case of neuronal memory) are essentially connected with terms such as storage, matrix, or place. For rather materialistic conception of memory, it is also symptomatic that different states such as emotions or mental faculties can be concretely localized in the brain tissue. On the contrary, some philosophers described memory as a primarily temporal entity without connection to place or matter. The question of organic memory was already vivid in 19th century biology, linked to Lamarckian philosophy (Hering 1870, Haeckel 1876, Butler 1910). The organic memory ideas floundered between vitalistic and rather materialistic conceptions: the first attributed some psychological features to cells or memory particles; the second was based on physics or in Cartesian doctrine, and described memory as essentially localized as a kind of storage of traces or patterns of physical waves...

Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance of Traumatic Experience in Mammals

In recent years, we have seen an increasing amount of evidence pointing to the existence of a non-genetic heredity of the effects of events such as separation from parents, threat to life, or other traumatising experiences such as famine. This heredity is often mediated by epigenetic regulations of gene expression and may be transferred even across several generations. In this review, we focus on studies which involve transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI), with a short detour to intergenerational studies focused on the inheritance of trauma or stressful experiences. The reviewed studies show a plethora of universal changes which stress exposure initiates on multiple levels of organisation ranging from hormonal production and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulation all the way to cognition, behaviour, or propensity to certain psychiatric or metabolic disorders. This review will also provide an overview of relevant methodology and difficulties linked to implementation of epigenetic studies. A better understanding of these processes may help us elucidate the evolutionary pathways which are at work in the course of emergence of the diseases and disorders associated with exposure to trauma, either direct or in a previous generation

Organic codes and memories

5 Abstract The backgrounds of Marcello Barbieri's semantic biology and the semiotic biology are confronted in the issue of autonomy of living systems. In the place of an interpreter in Pierce's triad, in Barbieri's case there stands a code. Although both concepts attribute important status to the meaning in biology (which is left out outside the scope of semiotic tradition), both concepts are by definition different in the way of apprehension the nature of living systems and of basic biological ideas. Codes are considered to have fundamental status in Barbieri's concept. From this point of view the analysis of histone code hypothesis seems to be appropriate. Can we say (according to our today's scientific knowledge) that histone code truly fulfills demands of Barbieri's concept of codes? Another Barbieri's idea of epigenesis functioning on the basis of biological memory can be unfolded not only thanks to analysis of the phylotypic stage's role, but also by similar analysis of the homeotic genes' role in morphogenesis of vertebrates, because even these genes can be regarded as biological memory of species. These analyses will lead us step by step to the negation of the thesis "cultura contra natura".Department of Philosophy and History of ScienceKatedra filosofie a dějin přírodních vědFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult