Philosophy of Science for Biologists

A short and accessible introduction to philosophy of science for students and researchers across the life sciences.

Kostas Kampourakis (Edited by), Tobias Uller (Edited by)

9781108740708, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 September 2020

340 pages, 1 b/w illus. 2 tables
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.6 cm, 0.53 kg

'Although philosophically minded, the editors of this volume are primarily biolo­gists, while most of the fifteen chapters are written by philosophers … an informative and sometimes inspiring read. It is probably fair to say that evolutionary biology is the pet subject of philosophers of biology, and there is plenty about evolution to be found in its 300 + pages, but I was glad to see that the scope is much wider than that. Many of the topics covered are classical philosophy of science … The presentation, however, is always tailored to the needs of biologists in that the examples chosen to illustrate philosophical claims are explicitly biological, from paleontology to genetics, and from cultural evolution to Alzheimer's disease … Overall, the book will be interesting and relevant reading for biologists, but also philosophers with a serious interest in biology.' Frank E. Zachos, Philosophy of Science for Biologists

Biologists rely on theories, apply models and construct explanations, but rarely reflect on their nature and structure. This book introduces key topics in philosophy of science to provide the required philosophical background for this kind of reflection, which is an important part of all aspects of research and communication in biology. It concisely and accessibly addresses fundamental questions such as: Why should biologists care about philosophy of science? How do concepts contribute to scientific advancement? What is the nature of scientific controversies in the biological sciences? Chapters draw on contemporary examples and case studies from across biology, making the discussion relevant and insightful. Written for researchers and advanced undergraduate and graduate students across the life sciences, its aim is to encourage readers to become more philosophically minded and informed to enable better scientific practice. It is also an interesting and pertinent read for philosophers of science.

1. Why should biologists care about philosophy of science? Tobias Uller and Kostas Kampourakis
2. What constitutes an explanation in biology? Angela Potochnik
3. What is biological knowledge? Kevin McCain
4. What is the nature of theories and models in biology? Emily Parke and Anya Plutynski
5. How are biology concepts used and transformed? Ingo Brigandt
6. Why does it matter that many biology concepts are metaphors? Kostas Kampourakis
7. How do concepts contribute to scientific advancement? Evolutionary biology as a case study David Depew
8. How can conceptual analysis contribute to scientific practice? The case of cultural evolution Tim Lewens
9. What methods do life scientists use? A brief history with philosophical implications Erik L. Peterson
10. Is it possible to scientifically reconstruct the history of life on earth? The biological sciences and deep time Carol Cleland
11. What is the basis of biological classification? The search for natural systems Thomas Reydon
12. What is the nature of scientific controversies in the biological sciences? Michael R. Dietrich
13. What is the relation between facts and values in biological science? Biology in society Carrie Friese and Barbara Prainsack
14. A philosopher in the age of creationism: What have I learned after fifty years doing philosophy of biology that I want to pass on to biologists Michael Ruse
15. How can we teach philosophy of science to biologists? Kostas Kampourakis and Tobias Uller.

Subject Areas: Biology, life sciences [PS], Popular science [PDZ], History of science [PDX], Impact of science & technology on society [PDR], Philosophy of science [PDA], Science: general issues [PD]