Description
Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology is an exciting collection of new essays written especially to give the reader an introduction to one of the most vibrant areas of scholarship today, and at the same time to move the subject forward dramatically. Written in a clear and rigorous style it will give the more experienced scholar much to think about and will also be of great value to the new student of the subject. The handbook covers the history of the topic, then moves into important analyses of contemporary evolutionary thinking, and continues with discussions of genetics and the moral and epistemological foundations of our understanding of heredity. The book goes on to cover ecology, behavior and morality, and does not neglect religion or feminist issues. Finally, it takes up matters to do with language and metaphor. The authors range from the senior and experienced to new and exciting young scholars. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology is a collection that will be of interest to philosophers of science, to philosophers generally, as well as biologists of all kinds. There is no better way to learn about this dynamic field than through the essays in this volume.
Trade ReviewEvery department member responsible for library orders should have this volume on their list. Everyone who works in this field-biologists, sociologists, dare one say philosophers?-should have their own copy. Already, right now, I am digging into a coupleof articles pertinent to my own research. * Michael Ruse, Program in History & Philosophy of Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, The Quarterly Review of Biology *
This is an excellent selection of issues and authors * Alexander Massmann, University of Heidelberg *
Table of ContentsContributors Introduction - Michael Ruse 1. History of the Philosophy of Biology, David Hull 2. Natural Selection and the Structure of Evolutionary Theory, Michael Ruse 3. Population Thinking, Andre Ariew 4. Testing and Optimality Models, Steven Orzack 5. Teleology, Denis Walsh 6. Evolvability, Roger Sansom 7. Species and Taxonomy, Richard Richards 8. Chance and Contingency, John Beatty 9. Macroevolution, David Sepkoski 10. Molecular Biology and Reduction, Ken Waters 11. Origins of Life Studies, James Greisemer 12. Evo-Devo, Jason Robert 13. Philosophical Issues Arising from Genomics, Zac Ernst 14. Animal Behavior, Stephen Crowley and Colin Allen 15. Neurocience, Adina Roskies and Ian Gold 16. Teleological Theories of Mental Content, Karen Neander 17. Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psych, and Cultural Evolution, Matteo Mameli 18. Evolution of Moral Norms, William Harms and Brian Skyrms 19. Genes and Society, Lisa Gannett 20. The Concept of Race in Medicine, Robin Andreasen 21. Ecology and the Environment, Anya Plutynski 22. Agriculture and Agricultural Biotechnology, David Castle 23. Biology and Religion, Nancey Murphy and Jeffrey Schloss 24. Feminist Philosophy of Biology, Carla Fehr 25. Rhetoric in Biology, Ana Barahona and Vladimir Cachón
