Philosophy of BiologyMichael Ruse Biologists study life in its various physical forms, while philosophy of biology seeks answers to questions about the nature, purpose, and impact of this research. What permits us to distinguish between living and nonliving things even though both are made of the same minerals? Is the complex structure of organisms proof that a creative force is working its will in the physical universe, or are existing life forms the random result of an evolutionary process working itself out over eons of time? What moral questions arise regarding genetic engineering or cloning? What is more relevant to human nature: genetics or sociocultural influences? Are we unique in the universe or might other forms of life exist out there somewhere? Is Darwinism the death-knell of God? |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
WHAT IS LIFE? | 3 |
ARISTOTLE The Generation of Animals | 28 |
Copyright | |
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adaptive amino acid animals argue argument Ayala behavior biologists Cambridge chance chemical claim classes classification cloning complex creation creationists Darwin Darwinian Dawkins defined earth environment Ernst Mayr ethics evidence evolution evolutionary biology evolutionary change evolutionary theory evolutionists evolved example explain extraterrestrial fact fittest fossil function genes genotypes Gould grudgers human human sociobiology Huxley individuals intelligence isolation kind laws living things macroevolution macroevolutionary Mayr mechanism meiosis molecular biology molecular genetics molecules moral morphological mutation natural selection occur organisms Origin of Species phenetic phenotypic Philosophy Philosophy of Biology phylogenetic physical plants population possible principle probability problem processes produced properties proteins punctuated equilibrium question random recombinant DNA recombinant DNA research relation reproductive result scientific scientists sense social sociobiology speciation species concept species problem structure struggle for existence survival synthesis taxa teleological tion traits University Press variation York