ArticleHistory and philosophy of the life sciences2018
'Extreme' organisms and the problem of generalization: interpreting the Krogh principle.
Article in History and philosophy of the life sciences, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
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- Lane-Petter's Pipeline: Why reliably decreasing animal research takes more than replacements.European journal for philosophy of science · 2026Article
- Marine constraints as philosophical opportunities: the Krogh principle and the benefits of philosophical engagement with the sea.History and philosophy of the life sciences · 2025Article
- Cannabidiol and Beta-Caryophyllene Combination Attenuates Diabetic Neuropathy by Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome/NFκB through the AMPK/sirT3/Nrf2 Axis.Biomedicines · 2024Article
- The well-built research question.Lab animal · 2023Article
- Lampreys and spinal cord regeneration: "a very special claim on the interest of zoologists," 1830s-present.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2023Article
- Glaucoma through Animal's Eyes: Insights from the Evolution of Intraocular Pressure in Mammals and Birds.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Advances in thermal physiology of diving marine mammals: The dual role of peripheral perfusion.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2022Review
- Experiments of nature and within species comparative physiology.Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology · 2021Review
- The molecular vista: current perspectives on molecules and life in the twentieth century.History and philosophy of the life sciences · 2021Article
- A four-week high fat diet does not alter plasma glucose or metabolic physiology in wild-caught mourning doves (Zenaida macroura).Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology · 2021Article
- Faraway, so close. The comparative method and the potential of non-model animals in mitochondrial research.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2020Article
- Utilizing comparative models in biomedical research.Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & molecular biologyReview
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4 authors.
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Abstract
Many biologists appeal to the so-called Krogh principle when justifying their choice of experimental organisms. The principle states that "for a large number of problems there will be some animal of choice, or a few such animals, on which it can be most conveniently studied". Despite its popularity, the principle is often critiqued for implying unwarranted generalizations from optimal models. We argue that the Krogh principle should be interpreted in relation to the historical and scientific contexts in which it has been developed and used. We interpret the Krogh Principle as a heuristic, i.e., as a recommendation to approach biological problems through organisms where a specific trait or physiological mechanism is expected to be most distinctively displayed or most experimentally accessible. We designate these organisms "Krogh organisms". We clarify the differences between uses of model organisms and non-standard Krogh organisms. Among these is the use of Krogh organisms as "negative models" in biomedical research, where organisms are chosen for their dissimilarity to human physiology. Importantly, the representational scope of Krogh organisms and the generalizability of their characteristics are not fixed or assumed but explored through experimental studies. Research on Krogh organisms is steeped in the comparative method characteristic of zoology and comparative physiology, in which studies of biological variation produce insights into general physiological constraints. Accordingly, we conclude that the Krogh principle exemplifies the advantages of studying biological variation as a strategy to produce generalizable insights.
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