The Concept of Nature

The Concept of Nature (Including "The Relationist Theory of Space")A Groundbreaking Philosophy of Nature by One of the 20th Century's Most Original ThinkersThis special edition brings together two important works by Alfred North Whitehead, offering readers unprecedented access to the development of his revolutionary ideas about nature, space, and time.In The Concept of Nature, Whitehead delivers a powerful critique of modern science's mechanistic worldview. Written at a time when Einstein's relativity was transforming physics, Whitehead presents an alternative vision where nature is not divided between what we perceive and what science describes—what he famously calls the "bifurcation of nature." Instead, he offers a unified understanding where nature is a complex process of interrelated events.This edition includes, for the first time in English, Whitehead's article "The Relationist Theory of Space," translated from the original French. This technical companion piece elaborates on the logical foundations of Whitehead's spatial theory, providing the mathematical framework behind his innovative thinking.Why This Book Matters Today:For science enthusiasts: Understand the philosophical foundations that influenced quantum physics and relativity theoryFor philosophers: Explore the crucial bridge between Whitehead's mathematical work and his later process philosophyFor students: Access two essential texts in one volume, including a previously untranslated workWhitehead's process-oriented thinking has experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, influencing fields from ecology and systems theory to theology and the social sciences. This edition provides the perfect entry point to understand why his ideas continue to resonate with contemporary challenges.In a world increasingly dominated by fragmented knowledge and technological reductionism, Whitehead's holistic vision of nature offers a refreshing alternative—one that reconciles scientific rigor with the richness of lived experience.