Eklektik

What did the idea of indepent selection (eclecticism) contribute to the history of philosophy from Aristotle up to the 20th century, where are the applications, where are its limitations and why did the concept of eclecticism degenerate into a term for a non-independent mixing in the 18th century? This comprehensive work focuses on the philosophy and natural sciences of the 17th century but also deals with current eclectic psychotherapy.