On Growth and Form

by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, John Tyler Bonner (Editor)

Overview

Classic of biology and modern science sets forth seminal 'theory of transformation'—that one species evolves into another not by successive minor changes in individual body parts but by large-scale transformations involving the body as a whole. Rich literary style. Over 500 photographs and drawings. Index.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781139949835
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	05/15/2014
Series:	Canto Classics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	7 MB

Table of Contents

Introduction John Tyler Bonner; 1. Introductory; 2. On magnitude; 3. The forms of cells; 4. The forms of tissues, of cell-aggregates; 5. On spicules and spicular skeletons; 6. The equiangular spiral; 7. The shapes of horns and of teeth or tusks; 8. On form and mechanical efficiency; 9. On the theory of transformations, or the comparison of related forms; 10. Epilogue; Index.

Editorial Reviews

**** A reprint of Thompson's classic work on animal morphology, first published by Cambridge U. Press in 1942 and endorsed by BCL3 (and every other competent bibliography on biology). Now printed on acid-free paper, but bound using the sewn-look fraud we characterize as notch glued. (This lapse is a shock--Dover has led the pack in producing well-constructed and very inexpensive books.) Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

'Thompson describes, in great detail, how natural organisms evolve in response to the forces of survival to achieve fitness to purpose. Thompson demonstrates the causality of the shaping and design of natural organisms. For me, as a budding architect, this gave a clue to the concept of fitness to purpose: that architecture must evolve not as a formalistic shape-forming, but from a deep understanding of the programmatic, functional material and economic forces that shape it. This means an understanding of the material and structural aspects of a building, the life intended in a building (i.e. its human purpose) and the many forces (climatic and others) that must be responded to in the process. … [the book is] as topical and significant today, going forward, as [it was], for me, 60 years ago.' Moshe Safdie, Architektura Konteksty

From the Publisher