Vitalism is an outdated concept that has largely been discarded by modern science, particularly in the fields of physics and chemistry. Here’s a look at how and why this shift occurred:
1. **Definition and Historical Context**:
- **Vitalism** is the belief that living organisms are fundamentally different from non-living entities because they possess some non-physical element or are governed by different principles than are inanimate things. Historically, this often implied the existence of a "vital force" that could not be explained by physical or chemical laws.
- This concept was prominent in the 17th and 18th centuries and was supported by early scientists and philosophers who could not explain the complexity of life through known physical and chemical processes.
2. **Disproval by Science**:
- **Chemistry**: The synthesis of urea by Friedrich Wöhler in 1828 is often cited as a critical blow to vitalism. Wöhler synthesized urea, an organic compound found in urine, from inorganic precursors (ammonium cyanate). This demonstrated that organic compounds could be created from inorganic substances, undermining the notion that a special "vital force" was necessary for organic synthesis [oai_citation:1,Frontiers in Genetics | Epigenomics and Epigenetics](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/sections/epigenomics-and-epigenetics/articles) [oai_citation:2,CLEPIC: Clinical Epigenetics International Conference 2024 - EpiGenie | Epigenetics, Stem Cell, and Synthetic Biology News](https://epigenie.com/conferences/clepic-clinical-epigenetics-international-conference-2024/).
- **Biology**: The discovery of the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953 provided a mechanistic explanation for heredity and biological processes, further dispelling the need for a vital force. The development of molecular biology has shown that life processes can be fully explained by interactions between molecules, governed by the same physical and chemical laws that apply to non-living matter.
- **Physics**: Advances in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics have shown that the behavior of biological systems can be understood in terms of energy transformations and the principles of entropy. Life processes do not violate the laws of physics but instead operate within them.
3. **Modern Scientific Consensus**:
- The overwhelming consensus in contemporary science is that all phenomena associated with life can be explained through biochemistry and biophysics. The concept of vitalism has no empirical support and is not considered a viable scientific hypothesis.
- For example, the work on enzymes and metabolic pathways shows that biological reactions are catalyzed and regulated by proteins whose structures and functions can be understood through chemistry and physics [oai_citation:3,Frontiers in Genetics | Epigenomics and Epigenetics](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/sections/epigenomics-and-epigenetics/articles) [oai_citation:4,CLEPIC: Clinical Epigenetics International Conference 2024 - EpiGenie | Epigenetics, Stem Cell, and Synthetic Biology News](https://epigenie.com/conferences/clepic-clinical-epigenetics-international-conference-2024/).
In summary, vitalism is considered an outdated concept in modern science. Advances in physics, chemistry, and biology have provided comprehensive explanations for the phenomena of life without invoking a special vital force, thereby relegating vitalism to the history of science rather than a contemporary scientific theory.
