DANILO BERTOLETTI GONÇALVES

The main goal is to expose the foundations of the concept of Natural Philosophy developed by Agnes Arber (1879-1960), which combines a formal and material approach to the study of life, initially applied to plant morphology. The analysis covers the History of Botany, plant structures, and the conceptual framework of Natural Philosophy, where plant forms are connected to the historical development of botanical knowledge and plant anatomy. This is an interdisciplinary research that spans philosophy, botany, and the history of botany. Consolidating the concept of Natural Philosophy will allow for a rethinking of living organisms beyond a purely material perspective, incorporating formal elements into their study. Revisiting the concept of Natural Philosophy could introduce new elements to the discussion of biological sciences, not replacing phylogeny but adding other elements to scientific practices and fostering advances in the understanding of life.