Eugenio Rignano's energetical vitalism.

Abstract

This article considers the doctrine of energetical vitalism as proposed by the early twentieth-century philosopher, Eugenio Rignano. Rignano's energetical vitalism aimed to present a comprehensive biological theory, addressing distinct phenomena of purposiveness-or what are called teleological phenomena-exclusive to the organic domain. His doctrine pivoted on two key hypotheses. The first, the hypothesis of vital energy, posited that life's distinctiveness emanates from a unique energy form he termed "vital (or nervous) energy." Rignano believed that while this form of energy shares attributes with conventional energy forms and adheres to basic laws of energetics, its manifestations are exclusively organic, dictating specific purposive phenomena. The second hypothesis, termed "centroepigenetic," asserted that vital energies primarily accumulate in the chromosomes within nuclei but can be transferred through intercellular bridges connecting germinal and somatic nuclei. Rignano's energetical vitalism synthesized ideas from three significant scientific trends of his era: the energetics, neo-Lamarckian, and mnemic movements. In closing, this article critiques Rignano's energetical vitalism with two primary assertions. First, while empirical support for the vital energy hypothesis remains elusive, vitalism's historical significance is arguably more profound than contemporary physicalists recognize, and it remains logically defensible to propose vitalistic hypotheses, irrespective of physicalist metaphysical constraints. Second, Rignano's centroepigenetic hypothesis can be seen as prescient in light of recent molecular genetic discoveries. These two points are informed by Hasok Chang's perspectives on "outdated" scientific theories.