Biological "Sexuality" in the First Half of the Twentieth Century-Max Hartmann's "General Theory of Sexuality"
Abstract
For a long time, or as in the general biology of the study will have a special place. Just think in the long human history, breeding and farming work, we know that human beings, reproductive, growth, genetic and other related issues of practical experience is very rich. However, the keeper of animals, cultivation of crops and other "higher" biological research whether the knowledge gained in theory universal? For those who study small organisms such as algae, grasses or native biological scientists, but it is a major problem. Nineteenth century, is made a number of "general theory" era. For example, in physics there are Hertz, Faraday and Maxwell's electromagnetic theory, wave optics and particle dualism; well-known in the field of chemistry periodic table ; As biologists have Schwann, out of many to Dengti cell theory and Darwin's evolution theory . The courage to put forward the theory in this era of large gas gas, the study of microorganisms, "sex" with the animal and plant biologists hope "of" the results of research dialogue, thinking about "sex" essence of the phenomenon. This is to be introduced before the leaves in the twentieth century, affecting the biological community "of" a theoretical study, also said the German biologist Max • Hartmann proposed a "general elephant Theory ". Sanding is this theory, including that: First, the nature of the polarization of the universal : whether it is male or female gametes gametes are essentially universal bisexual potential . Second, as the relative of : Apart from the content of the theory, the article also touched on the following issues: the relationship between scientific discovery and experimental, qualitative and quantitative law rules the relationship between the experiment and the scientific language of personal factors the general language of mutual penetration. The study of diverse phenomena of sexuality in microorganisms in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries motivated biologists to formulate a "general" theory of sexuality. Biologists tried to figure out their fundamental nature and wish to formulate a general theory, which can explain all phenomena of sexuality in protest, algae, fungi and more complex forms of life. In 1909 German protozoologist Max Hartmann produced a fascinating but controversial "general theory of sexuality". His theory included three principles: general bipolar sexuality, general bisexual potency and relative sexuality. In this paper I examine Hartmann's theory from the viewpoint of intellectual history; I also consider the cultural implications for applying his theory to human sexuality, although Hartmann himself seemed to avoid this connection