Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Biology

Herausgeber: Ayala, Francisco J; Arp, Robert

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

CONTEMPORARY DEBATES IN PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY "A greatly needed and welcome contribution by excellent scholars, this book invites newcomers and experts alike to think critically about core issues in the philosophy of biology." --Roberta L. Millstein, University of California, Davis Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Biology brings together original essays on some of the most hotly debated questions in this lively and fast-moving field. Are species real? Does selection operate primarily on genes? Can the biological sciences act as a ground for ethics? Each of the ten sections introduces a specific issue within philosophy of biology and offers suggestions for further reading. Pairs of newly commissioned essays by leading scholars discuss the central questions in an engaging head-to-head debate. Together, the essays provide an accessible introduction to philosophy of biology, and a springboard to further discussion. Showcasing original arguments for well-defined positions, as well as clear and concise statements of sophisticated philosophical views, this volume is an excellent resource for professional philosophers, biologists, and students alike.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley
• Seitenzahl: 440
• Erscheinungstermin: 1. Dezember 2009
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 248mm x 172mm x 34mm
• Gewicht: 770g
• ISBN-13: 9781405159999
• ISBN-10: 1405159995
• Artikelnr.: 27877090

Autorenporträt

Francisco J. Ayala is Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, USA. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. In 2001, he received the National Medal of Science. Ayala has published more than 950 articles and is the author or editor of 31 books. He has been named the Renaissance Man of Evolutionary Biology by The New York Times. Robert Arp is an analyst at The Analysis Group, LLC who has interests in philosophy of biology and ontology in the informatics sense. He is the author of Scenario Visualization: An Evolutionary Account of Creative Problem Solving (2008), and co-editor of Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).

Inhaltsangabe

Notes on Contributors

General Introduction

References and Further Reading

Part I: Is It Possible to Reduce Biological Explanations toExplanations in Chemistry and/or Physics?

Part II: Have Traits Evolved to Function the Way They Do Becauseof a Past Advantage?

Part III: Are Species Real?

Part IV: Does Selection Operate Primarily on Genes?

Part V: Are Microevolution and Macroevolution Governed by theSame Processes?

Part VI: Does Evolutionary Developmental Biology Offer aSignificant Challenge to the Neo-Darwinian Paradigm?

Part VII: Were the Basic Components of the Human Mind SolidifiedDuring the Pleistocene Epoch?

Part VIII: Does Memetics Provide a Useful Way of UnderstandingCultural Evolution?

Part IX: Can the Biological Sciences Act as a Ground forEthics?

Part X: Is There a Place for Intelligent Design in thePhilosophy of Biology?

Index

Rezensionen

"All chapters (including the very interestingcontributions on the species problem by Claridge and Mishler, aswell as the stimulating papers on evolutionary ethics by Ruse andAyala) serve as an excellent introduction to the most hotly debatedtopics in the philosophy of biology today." (Metascience, 2011) "A brief review like this can scarcely do justice to the richnessof the ideas discussed in this text or the considerable care thatwent into its organization. This is, in short, a very finecontribution to the pedagogical literature on philosophy ofbiology. The editors are to be congratulated for the thoughtfulnessthat went into producing this text. May it gain the wide acceptanceit deserves." (Science & Education, 2010)

"Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above".(Choice, 1 November 2010)

"Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Biology isan engaging anthology with many interesting contributions. Thestrength of the book is the format: two eminent representatives ofthe biophilosophical community have their say on a pivotalbiophilosophical issue." (Metapsychology, May2010)

"A very fine contribution to the pedagogical literature onphilosophy of biology. The editors are to be congratulated for thethoughtfulness that went into producing this text. May it gain thewide acceptance it deserves." (Science & Education, March2010)

"A greatly needed and welcome contribution by excellentscholars, this book invites newcomers and experts alike to thinkcritically about core issues in the philosophy ofbiology."
-Roberta L. Millstein, University of California, Davis