Contemporary debates in philosophy of biology

Notes on Contributors

General Introduction

References and Further Reading

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

Introduction

References and Further Reading

1. It Is Possible to Reduce Biological Explanations to Explanations in Chemistry and/or Physics / Evelyn Fox Keller

2. It Is Not Possible to Reduce Biological Explanations to Explanations in Chemistry and/or Physics / John Dupré

Part II. Have Traits Evolved to Function the Way They Do Because of a Past Advantage?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

3. Traits Have Evolved to Function the Way They Do Because of a Past Advantage / Mark Perlman

4. Traits Have Not Evolved to Function the Way They Do Because of a past Advantage / Robert Cummins / Martin Roth

Part III. Are Species Real?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

5. Species Are Real Biological Entities / Michael F. Claridge

6. Species Are Not Uniquely Real Biological Entities / Brent D. Mishler

Part IV. Does Selection Operate Primarily On Genes?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

7. Selection Does Operate Primarily on Genes: In Defense of the Gene as the Unit of Selection / Carmen Sapienza

8. Selection Does Not Operate Primarily on Genes / Richard M. Burian

Part V. Are Microevolution and Macroevolution Governed by the Same Processes?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

9. Microevolution and Macroevolution Are Governed by the Same Processes / Michael R. Dietrich

10. Microevolution and Macroevolution Are Not Governed by the Same Processes / Douglas H. Erwin

Part VI. Does Evolutionary Developmental Biology Offer A Significant Challenge to the Neo-Darwinian Paradigm?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

11. Evolutionary Developmental Biology Offers a Significant Challenge to the Neo-Darwinian Paradigm / Manfred D. Laubichler

12. Evolutionary Developmental Biology Does Not Offer a Significant Challenge to the Neo-Darwinian Paradigm / Alessandro Minelli

Part VII. Were the Basic Components of the Human Mind Solidified During the Pleistocene Epoch?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

13. The Basic Components of the Human Mind Were Solidified During the Pleistocene Epoch / Valerie G. Starratt / Todd K. Shackelford

14. The Basic Components of the Human Mind Were Not Solidified During the Pleistocene Epoch / Stephen M. Downes

Part VIII. Does Memetics Provide a Useful Way of Understanding Cultural Evolution?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

15. Memetics Does Provide a Useful Way of Understanding Cultural Evolution / Susan Blackmore

16. Memetics Does Not Provide a Useful Way of Understanding Cultural Evolution: A Developmental Perspective / William C. Wimsatt

Part IX. Can the Biological Sciences Act as a Ground for Ethics?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

17. The Biological Sciences Can Act as a Ground for Ethics / Michael Ruse

18. What the Biological Sciences Can and Cannot Contribute to Ethics / Francisco J. Ayala

Part X. Is There a Place for Intelligent Design in the Philosophy of Biology?

Introduction

References and Further Reading

19. There Is a Place for Intelligent Design in the Philosophy of Biology: Intelligent Design in (Philosophy of) Biology: Some Legitimate Roles / Del Ratzsch

20. There Is No Place for Intelligent Design in the Philosophy of Biology: Intelligent Design Is Not Science / Francisco J. Ayala

Index