The Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding
Complicity An International Journal of Complexity and Education July 1, 2007 DOI: 10.29173/cmplct8773 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis book review describes Maturana and Varela's work, which argues that living systems are cognitive systems and that cognition is a biological phenomenon. The authors propose that knowledge arises from the structure of the organism and its interactions with its environment, rather than from an objective representation of an external world. The review notes the book's interdisciplinary approach, drawing on biology, neuroscience, and philosophy to explain how human understanding is rooted in the processes of life itself.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Book review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 1,471 |
| Key finding | The reviewed book argues that cognition and knowledge are biological processes rooted in the structure and interactions of living systems. |
Abstract
A review of The Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding, by Humberto R. Maturana and Francisco J. Varela, 1998 [1987]. Revised Edition. Boston and London: Shambhala Publications, 269 pp. ISBN 0877736421. $29.95 USD.