Kalevi Kull
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= Estonian philosopher, specializes in Biosemiotics and Ecosemiotics, University of Tartu, Estonia,
URL = http://www.zbi.ee/~kalevi/
Current Interests
"* Biosemiotics: Due to the deep analogies one can notice between the living and linguistic systems, there can also be possible to find the general theoretical explanations which join these fields. Since both biological (K.E.v.Baer, J.v.Uexküll) and semiotic (J.Lotman) traditions have been strong in Estonia, it gives a solid basis for a work on this subject. From 1993, I'm teaching a regular course 'Biosemiotics' in Tartu University.
- Theory of evolution: K.E.v.Baer, J.M.Baldwin, L.Berg, A.A.Lyubischev, S.V.Meyen, H.E.H.Paterson are those whose work in the field of evolution I like the most. Thus, the concepts which seem to me most interesting and promising for the understanding of biological evolution, include nomogenesis, autogenetic evolution, Baldwin effect, and the recognition concept of species. The contemporary view on evolution which follows the work of these biologists is post-Darwinism.
- Theory of plant communities and species co-existence: The co-existence of very many species in small areas appearantly seems to contradict to the possibility of being the best and to win in competition. This turns the problem of co-existence into one of the deep questions of biology. With my collegues, we have investigated the plant communities in the traditional Estonian wooded meadows, and have found that their species density is comparable to those of the world richest ecosystems."
- Theoretical biology (and its history): Theoretical rethinking, interpretation, and reinterpretation of all vast biological knowledge has not been able to follow the rapid development of experimental biology, to avoid conflicts which arise from the wish to applicate the half-knowledge in the life of human society. Also, much of the real and important knowledge is simply forgotten. Thus, we organised the first Estonian Spring School in Theoretical Biology in May 1975, and these conferences became into a regular annual event."
(http://www.zbi.ee/~kalevi/interest.htm)
Publications
- Zobel M, Palmer M.W., Kull K., Herben T. (eds.) 1994. Species Co-existence and Vegetation Structure. Uppsala: Opulus Press, 112 p.
- Kull K. 1999. Outlines for a post-Darwinian biology. - Folia Baeriana 7, 129-142.
- Kull K. 2000. Organisms can be proud to have been their own designers. - Cybernetics and Human Knowing 7(1), 45-55.
More Information
- contact via [email protected],