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The derivation of D’Arcy Thompson’s theory of transformations from the theory of optimal design

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Abstract

It is shown informally that Cohn’s theory of Optimal Forms can be construed as a comparative theory, and that when this is done the celebrated theory of transformations of D’Arcy Thompson follows as a consequence. The implications of this type of theoretical foundation for the Thompson theory with regard to problems of comparative morphology are discussed, and some suggestions for the further implementation of the theory are described.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Committee on Mathematical Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA

    Robert Rosen

Authors
  1. Robert Rosen
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Additional information

This research was supported by the United States Air Force through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research of the Air Research and Development Command, under Contract No. AF 49(638)-917.

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Rosen, R. The derivation of D’Arcy Thompson’s theory of transformations from the theory of optimal design. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 24, 279–290 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477959

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477959

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