A History of Regeneration Research: Milestones in the Evolution of a Science

In the eighteenth century the phenomenon of animal regeneration captured the attention and imagination of the era's leading naturalists and intellectuals. Importantly, their research of the phenomenon spurred on the transition from descriptive natural history to modern experimental zoology. A History of Regeneration Research chronicles this crucial evolutionary stretch in the history of developmental biology, offering a penetrating analysis of the milestones in regeneration research. The book not only presents the leading researchers and their seminal discoveries in the field, but also brings together critical commentaries on the social context and philosophical commitments that shaded their interpretations. This strategic weaving of content with context raises the discussion above the field of regeneration research; exploring the societal influences on the perception of nature, the book sheds light on the nature of the scientific enterprise itself, and the way scientific discoveries are interpreted.