Hans-Rainer Duncker - Böcker

Biological and philosophical anthropologies of the 20th century keep emphasising the "Sonderstellung" of humans among the realm of living beings. However, it is not clear how this particular role should be characterised, how it should be reconciled with biological findings, and which theoretical and practical conclusions should be drawn from it. Partly in opposition to these anthropological views on humankind biological disciplines underline the extensive similarities and common characteristics between humans and other species. Apparently, these biological findings concur with the criticism of anthropocentrism, which is expressed in Western philosophy of nature and by ethicists. To discuss these issues the Europaische Akademie organized the conference "The Uniqueness of Humankind �Uber die Sonderstellung des Menschen". The proceedings of the conference documented in this volume approached the theoretical and practical concept of the "Sonderstellung" against the background of present day knowledge in biosciences. Furthermore, by interdisciplinary efforts, an attempt was made to clarify those conceptual problems that arise with the idea of the uniqueness of humankind.The present volume partly takes up and further develops topics that have been raised by volume 15, On Human Nature, that was published in this series in 2002.

Biological and philosophical anthropologies of the 20th century keep emphasising the "Sonderstellung" of humans among the realm of living beings. However, it is not clear how this particular role should be characterised, how it should be reconciled with biological findings, and which theoretical and practical conclusions should be drawn from it. Partly in opposition to these anthropological views on humankind biological disciplines underline the extensive similarities and common characteristics between humans and other species. Apparently, these biological findings concur with the criticism of anthropocentrism, which is expressed in Western philosophy of nature and by ethicists. To discuss these issues the Europäische Akademie organized the conference "The Uniqueness of Humankind – Über die Sonderstellung des Menschen". The proceedings of the conference documented in this volume approached the theoretical and practical concept of the "Sonderstellung" against the background of present day knowledge in biosciences. Furthermore, by interdisciplinary efforts, an attempt was made to clarify those conceptual problems that arise with the idea of the uniqueness of humankind. The present volume partly takes up and further develops topics that have been raised by volume 15, On Human Nature, that was published in this series in 2002.

Knochenfische, Amphibien und Reptilien besitzen in ausgedehntem Maße extracutane Pigmentierungen. Bei diesen niederen Vertebraten kommen Pigment­ zellen nicht nur in der Epidermis und reich ausgebildet im Corium vor, sondern auch an vielen Organen des Körperinneren, in teilweise weiter Ausdehnung. So sind die Dura mater und die Leptomeninx, das parietale Peritonaeum und die Mesenterien, Gefäße undN erven, der Darm und die Keimdrüsen, dasfettspeichernde Bindegewebe, das Periost und das Knochenmark mit Chromatophoren versehen, und zwar in jeweils spezifischer Auswahl der pigmentierten Strukturen bei der einzelnen Art. Bei den Vögeln und besonders bei den Säugern sind extracutane Pigmentierungen selten, nur vereinzelt sind Chromatophoren an inneren Organen zu finden, und ausgedehnte Pigmentierungen wie bei niederen Wirbeltieren sind ganz selten. Diese Verhältnisse waren den alten Autoren zum Teil bekannt, in alten und neueren vergleichend-anatomischen Werken sind Angaben über die Pigmentierung einzelner Organe verstreut (LEYDIG, 1857; HoFFMANN, 1890; EcKER-GAUPP, 1899 und 1904; HARDER, 1964). In den zahlreichen und eingehenden Arbeiten über die Chromatophoren der Haut, über die Entwicklung der Pigmentzellen und über ihre Biologie finden sich, ebenso wie in manchen speziellen anatomischen Publikationen, gelegentlich An­ gaben über extracutane Pigmentzellen, mitunter ist auch eine Abbildung bei­ gefügt (ZENNECK, 1894; BOLK, 1910; WERNER, 1911; FUCHS, 1914; FlSCHEL, 1920; BIEDERMANN, 1926, 1928a und b; BALLOWITZ, 1931; THUMANN, 1931; HALLER voN HALLERSTEIN, 1934; ScHALTENBRAND, 1955; RAWLES, 1960; FIORONI, 1961; SoKOLOV, 1962; STARCK, 1964; PEHLEMANN, 1967 a).