Who is on guard for harmony? On harmony, phagocytes and immunological identity

• Main Author: Jacek S. Podgórski
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centre for Philosophical Research 2012-09-01
• Series: Avant: Journal of Philosophical-Interdisciplinary Vanguard
• Subjects: Immunological self; Immunological selfhood; Phagocytosis Immunological tolerance theory; Jerne’s network theory
• Online Access: http://avant.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/JPodgorski-Who-is-on-guard-_Avant_12012_online.doc.pdf

The objective of this introduction is to outline certain historical and theoretical frames of modern immunology. Immunology as a discipline that has been shaped relatively recently attempts to explain all kinds of phenomena safeguarding the integrity of an organism. An organism is understood as a complex multi-system structure developed in the course of evolution. In the case of such a broad sense concept of immunity a penetrating discussion is required. Thus, biology philosophers as well as scientists – immunologists, for nearly 50. years have been analysing the basic definitions, which led them to interesting conclusions.