Age Quote by Elliott Sober
“Biologists now pretty universally regard vitalism as a vestige of a bygone age.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Philosophy of Biology, 1993
Vitalism, the belief that life is governed by a special force, is now seen as outdated by most biologists.
In simple terms: Vitalism is considered outdated by scientists.
Key Takeaway
Recognize modern biological explanations.
Themes
science
philosophy
history of ideas
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
scientific
philosophical
When to use this quote
- biology textbooks
- research discussions
- science education
- public lectures
Key Concepts
vitalism
materialism
empiricism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does abandoning vitalism affect our view of life?
- What modern concepts replace vitalist ideas?
A Different Perspective
Some argue remnants of vitalist language persist in popular culture.
![“I also suspect that many workers in this field [molecular biology] and related fields have been strongly motivated by the desire, rarely actually expressed, to refute vitalism.” quote by Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/81f/francis-crick-8439_biology_i-also-suspect-that-many-workers-in-this_502423.jpg)
![“From year to year, and from age to age, we see [biologists] at work, adding no doubt much to the unknown, and advancing many important interests, but, at the same time, doing little for the establishment of comprehensive views of nature. Experiments in however narrow a walk, facts of whatever…” quote by Robert Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/72a/robert-chambers-98374_biology_from-year-to-year-and-from-age-to-age-we_2806029.jpg)
