[May 2015] Conference

The PI gave an invited talk on: Theoretical biology and the organism concept: a historical perspective, at the “Colloque 5 et 6 mai 2015 – Biological complexity and organization: theoretical approaches and applications” by the Pascal Chair of Biology 2013, 5.–6.5.2015, Paris (France).

[February 2015] Project end

The project ends in February 2015.

[February 2015] Article online

The following article was published: Drack M, 2015. Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s organismic view on the theory of evolution. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution 324B: 77–90. (DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22611)

[February 2015] Article online

The following article was published: Drack M, Pouvreau D. 2015. On the history of Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s “General Systemology”, and on its relationship to cybernetics – Part III: Convergences and divergences. International Journal of General Systems 44: 523–571. (DOI: 10.1080/03081079.2014.1000642)

[April 2014] IFSR Conversation

The PI is invited to the IFSR Conversation 2014: “Theme 5: Philosophical Foundation for the Modern Systems Movement”. 27.4.–2.5.2014, Linz (Austria).

[April 2014] Conference

The PI gives a talk on: General system theory and cybernetics: differences and commonalities, at the EMCSR 2014, 22.–25.4.2014, Vienna. Abstract

[December 2013] Article published

The following article was published: Drack M. 2013. Towards the System Heuristics of Paul Weiss. Pages 69–80 in: Annals of the History and Philosophy of Biology 16 (2011), (Formerly: Jahrbuch für Geschichte und Theorie der Biologie), edited by Wissemann V. Göttingen: Universitätsverlag Göttingen. (ISSN 1863-0197)

[July 2013] Conference

The PI gives a talk on: Viennese school of systems thinking in biology, at the “24th International Congress of History of Science, Technology and Medicine (ICHSTM)”. 21.–28.7.2013, Manchester.

[June 2013] Conference

The PI gives a talk on: Zum Schichtenmodell von Rupert Riedl [The layer model of Rupert Riedl], at the conference “Metaphysik der Emergenz – Philosophische Grundlegung im Spannungsfeld von Wissenschaft und Kunst”. 6.–8.6.2013, Ludwigshafen (Germany).

[January 2013] Article online

The following invited article went online: Drack M, Gebeshuber I C. 2013. Comment on “Innovation through imitation: biomimetic, bioinspired and biokleptic research” by A. E. Rawlings, J. P. Bramble and S. S. Staniland, Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 6675. Soft Matter 9(7): 2338–2340. (DOI: 10.1039/c2sm26722e) PDF

[November 2012] Rostock

The PI meets with the project partners from systems biology and philosophy in Rostock.

[September 2012] Invite talk

The PI gives an invited talk on: Systemdenken bei Paul A. Weiss [System thinking of Paul A. Weiss], at the Arbeitskreis Information Studies of the Oesterreichische Computer Gesellschaft (OCG), 25.9.2012, Vienna.

[July 2012] Bertalanffy estate

Thanks to Gisèle Bertalanffy the remaining items of Ludwig von Bertalanffy's estate were moved to the Bertalanffy Center (BCSSS).

[July 2012] Invited talk

The PI gives an invited talk on: Elements of Early Biological System Approaches – The Viennese School, at the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, MNHN), 13.7.2012, Paris (France). @ Department the of Barbara Demeneix, Professeur au Muséum et directrice du laboratoire Evolution des régulations endocriniennes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS/MNHN).

[April 2012] EMCSR

The European Meeting on Cybernetics and Systems Research (EMCSR 2012) takes place in Vienna from 10.–13.4.2012.

[November 2011] Workshop

The PI gives an invited talk on: Zur System-Heuristik von Paul Weiss [Towards the system heuristics of Paul Weiss], at the workshop “Grundbegriffe einer Organismustheorie: Leben – Individuum – System”. 10.–12.11.2011 in Geisenheim (Germany).

[October 2011] Kick-off meeting

On 27. and 28.10.2011 the kick-off meeting of the research project is held at the Department of Theoretical Biology / University of Vienna.

The aim of the research project is to compare earlier and modern system approaches in biology in order to establish a basis for integration. In the kick-off meeting the components for such an integration were explored. Accordingly, the major issues and ideas of earlier and recent accounts were discussed in detail. For comparison of the different system approaches, the primary goal was to set up lists of aims, motivations, domains, problems, open questions, concepts, methods, and assumptions.

Participants: Tobias Breidenmoser (University of Rostock), Manfred Drack (University of Vienna), Wolfgang Hofkirchner (Vienna University of Technology), Jan-Hendrik Hofmeyr (Stellenbosch University), Gerd Müller (University of Vienna), Carlos Sonnenschein (Tufts University), Ana Soto (Tufts University), Anders Strand (University of Oslo), Olaf Wolkenhauer (University of Rostock).

[August 2011] Conference

The PI gives an invited talk on: Advents of systems biology – elements of early biological system approaches, at the “ESF Workshop on Philosophy of Systems Biology: Systems Biology Workshop 2011 – The Philosophy/Advents of Systems Biology”. 18.–20.8.2011, Aarhus (Denmark).

[July 2011] Radio

The PI is invited to a live radio interview on 6.7.2011 (Radio Natural on Radio Orange, Vienna). There the research project was introduced.

[June 2011] Conference

The PI gives a talk on: Formen des Wissens in der Biologie [On Connections between Properties in Biology], at the conference “20. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Theorie der Biologie (DGGTB)”, 16. – 19.6.2011 in Bonn (Germany) (Museum Alexander Koenig).

[June 2011] Website

The project website <systems-in-biology.univie.ac.at> is launched in June 2011.

[May 2011] Article online

The following invited article went online: Drack M, Wolkenhauer O. 2011. System approaches of Weiss and Bertalanffy and their relevance for systems biology today. Seminars in Cancer Biology 21(3): 150–155. (DOI:10.1016/j.semcancer.2011.05.001)

[March 2011] Project start

The project starts in March 2011.