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Friday 6 March 2015

Time Travelling von Uexküll


Jakob Johann Baron von Uexküll was a noble biologist whose curious writings influenced many of 20th century’s thinkers. It is no wonder that he is viewed as one of leading figures on Semiotics and inspiration in the field of robotics. The fame amongst intellectuals was obtained by von Uexküll’s most widely known Umwelt theory.



 Jakob von Uexküll composed his theory by inquisiting nature’s organisms, their senses, behaviours and reactions to the environment. In his literature Jakob studies many organisms in order to arrive at his theory. One wonders could there possibly be a relationship between von Uexküll’s umwelt and Charles Darwin’s evolution theory.


 Similarly to von Uexküll, Darwin founded his theory by observing organisms, their traits and behaviours, yet von Uexküll was not convinced by the theory of evolution and instead accepted the theory of Funktionskreis. If one is to go back to the former theory of evolution proposed by Darwin is his time, one would find it somewhat different to the modern theory of evolution. I therefore wonder if Jakob von Uexküll was introduced the modern idea of evolution, what would he make of it…?


 Sometimes I wonder what would Darwin’s opinion be on the Planet of the Apes films, but that is a different conversation all together =)

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