Philosophy of biology / Brian Garvey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Garvey, Brian, 1967- author.

Series:

Philosophy and science.

Philosophy and science

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biology--Philosophy.

Biology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 274 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Durham : Acumen Publishing, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Biology raises distinct questions of its own not only for philosophy of science, but for metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. This comprehensive new introduction to a growing field of study provides readers new to the subject with an up-to-date presentation of the key philosophical issues. Care is taken throughout to keep the technicalities accessible to the non-biologist but without sacrificing the philosophical subtleties. The first part of the book explores the philosophical challenges posed by evolution and evolutionary biology, beginning with Darwin’s central argument in The Origin of Species. Individual chapters cover natural selection, creationism, the selfish gene, alternative units of selection, developmental systems theory, adaptionism and issues in macroevolution. The second part of the book examines philosophical questions that arise in connection with biological traits, function, nature and nurture, and biological kinds. The third part of the book examines metaphysical questions, biology’s relation with the traditional concerns of philosophy of science, and how evolution has been introduced into epistemological debates. The final part considers the relevance of biology to questions about ethics, religion and human nature. Philosophy of Biology is a fresh and engaging general survey of the subject suitable for course use and for the non-specialist looking for an introduction to an increasingly popular subject area in the philosophy of science.

Contents:

1. Argument in Darwin's Origin

Earlier attempts

Variation and inheritance

struggle for existence

Natural selection

2. power of genes

Introducing the gene

Genes and how organisms are made

Genes as agents

3. Units of selection

Genes versus individual organisms

Individual organisms as units of selection

Groups of organisms, and the question of altruism

Memes

4. Panglossianism and its discontents

uniqueness of natural selection

accusation of "panglossianism"

So what is wrong with panglossianism?

storm in a teacup?

5. role of development

nineteenth-century idea: recapitulation

New developments in developmental biology

Evo-devo

Developmental systems theory

6. Nature and nurture

Why does innateness seem to matter so much?

But what is innateness?

ordinary-language concept

Canalization

Generative entrenchment

deflationary approach

Conclusion

7. Function: "what it is for" versus "what it does"

What it is for

What it has been selected for

What it does

8. Biological categories

Introduction: natural kinds in general

Taxonomy

What are the natural kinds of biology?

9. Species and their special problems

interbreeding criterion

Species as individuals

pluralistic approach

10. Biology and philosophy of science

Lawlessness in biology

Does biology have real laws?

Comprehensiveness, unity and simplicity

11. Evolution and epistemology

Conjectures and refutations

reliability of our sources

limitations of our minds

12. Evolution and religion

Does the theory of evolution support atheism?

"God of the gaps" arguments

Evolution and explaining religion

13. Evolution and human nature

Sociobiology and its controversies

Evolutionary psychology's grand synthesis

14. Biology and ethics

Fitness as a normative concept

naturalistic fallacy

Ought implies can

Altruism

Intuitions again.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on metadata supplied by the publisher and other sources.

ISBN:

1-317-49366-4

1-317-49367-2

1-315-71201-6

1-282-94331-6

9786612943317

1-84465-381-1

9781315712017

OCLC:

898104252