The comparative view

Pathological findings, art historical image comparisons, or the assessment of climate diagrams - comparison is part of the daily practice in scientific analysis. Precisely because the comparative perspective seems self-evident, it must be critically examined time and again. This volume brings together contributions from biology, art, media and literary studies, medicine, criminalistics, psychology, and mathematics. The common starting point is the overarching significance of the perception, description, and organization of forms. In doing so, the authors explore whether and, if so, how natural and cultural historical objects can be compared or treated equally.