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.
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