Strukturalizm Joachima Metallmanna

Abstract

In 1932 Joachim Metallmann, in his „hablilitation lecture” analyzed the concept of structure and its functioning in modern science. After a brief history of this concept Metallmann distinguished between „merostructure” and „holostructure”. In the form er the totality is the sum of its parts, whereas in the letter strong interactions between parts contribute to the additional richness of the totality. Metallmann correctly predicted that the role of the concept of structure will be growing in contemporary science. In the paper, Metallmann’s views in this respect are analyzed in some detail.