I think Levins and Lewontin are definitely worth checking out, especially for dialectical views of biology but also other related natural sciences and their applications. They also contrast their dialectical view to the traditional reductionist views and conceptions of the discussed topics but the focus is still on the dialectics.
Yes, in my experience, the level of previous background knowledge is the key in determining which strategy (chronological or not) is better suited to the study of a subject. Without knowing the historical and social context of an author or work it can be difficult to properly analyze and contextualize it. That’s when reading some secondary sources from more modern writers can serve as a great starting point. Once I have a better understanding of the context, reading the oldest or primary sources is much more productive. Knowing where that threshold lies just takes some experience.
One thing I find very useful is when the more modern authors directly cite and include paragraphs or explanations from the older authors (which is quite common is Marxist writing). It helps directly with the contextualization and provides a list of works for further reading.
I’ll have to check out The Ecological Rift then.
I think Levins and Lewontin are definitely worth checking out, especially for dialectical views of biology but also other related natural sciences and their applications. They also contrast their dialectical view to the traditional reductionist views and conceptions of the discussed topics but the focus is still on the dialectics.
Yes, in my experience, the level of previous background knowledge is the key in determining which strategy (chronological or not) is better suited to the study of a subject. Without knowing the historical and social context of an author or work it can be difficult to properly analyze and contextualize it. That’s when reading some secondary sources from more modern writers can serve as a great starting point. Once I have a better understanding of the context, reading the oldest or primary sources is much more productive. Knowing where that threshold lies just takes some experience.
One thing I find very useful is when the more modern authors directly cite and include paragraphs or explanations from the older authors (which is quite common is Marxist writing). It helps directly with the contextualization and provides a list of works for further reading.