The Metamorphosis of Plants by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Author), Gordon L. Miller (Introduction). The Metamorphosis of Plants, revealed in 1790, was Goethe's first main attempt to describe what he called in a letter to a friend "the truth in regards to the how of the organism." Inspired by the range of flora he discovered on a journey to Italy, Goethe sought a unity of type in diverse structures. He came to see within the leaf the germ of a plant's metamorphosis--"the true Proteus who can cover or reveal himself in all vegetal kinds"--from the foundation and stem leaves to the calyx and corolla, to pistil and stamens. With this quick e-book--123 numbered paragraphs, within the manner of the great botanist Linnaeus--Goethe aimed to tell the story of botanical forms in the course of, to present, in impact, a motion image of the metamorphosis of plants.
This MIT Press version of The Metamorphosis of Plants illustrates Goethe's textual content (in an English translation by Douglas Miller) with a collection of gorgeous and starkly lovely coloration photographs in addition to numerous line drawings. It is the most fully and colorfully illustrated edition of Goethe's ebook ever published. It demonstrates vividly Goethe's ideas of transformation and interdependence, as well as the systematic use of creativeness in scientific analysis---which influenced thinkers ranging from Darwin to Thoreau and has a lot to show us right this moment about our relationship with nature.
First of all, this is an exceptionally lovely book: compact in dimension, however neatly designed and illustrated with many images of flowers and plant elements which can be printed with beautiful clarity and color. The textual content is scientific however accessible, and since it's damaged into quick paragraphs, it never appears heavy. Goethe's thought is simple sufficient: he traces the morphological sequence from the primary sprouts to the stem, leaves, flowers, fruit and seed of the next cycle, exhibiting that the same formal principle is carried forth by means of every stage of the plant's development. Miller's introduction is succinct and illuminating. He additionally took the images and chosen the opposite illustrations, together with sketches by Goethe himself. The result is a scholarly treatment that anybody with a curiosity in crops can enjoy.
It is a lovely book and for anyone involved in our relationship with nature. It's an ebook that you must own, not borrow from the library, as a result of it needs to be read over and over. It is similar to a meditation. The photographs are beautiful and will lead you outdoors to find the forms in naturee.
The Metamorphosis of Plants
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Author), Gordon L. Miller (Introduction)
156 pages
The MIT Press; 1 edition (September 11, 2009)
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