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This set of original essays by some of the best names in philosophy of science explores a range of diverse issues in the intersection of biology and epistemology.
List of contents
Introduction Richard Creath and Jane Maienschein; 1. Darwin and the philosophers: epistemological factors in the development and reception of the theory of the Origin of Species Michael Ruse; 2. Knowing about life: Darwin and his theory of natural selection Jon Hodge; 3. Why did Darwin fail? The role of John Stuart Mill David L. Hull; 4. The epistemology of historical interpretation: progressivity and recapitulation in Darwin's Theory Robert J. Richards; 5. Down the Primrose Path: competing epistemologies in early twentieth-century biology David Magnus; 6. Competing epistemologies and developmental biology Jane Maienschein; 7. From imaging to believing: epistemic issues in generating biological data William Bechtel; 8. The logic of discovery: in the experimental life sciences Frederic L. Holmes; 9. What do population geneticists know and how do they know it? R. C. Lewontin; 10. Experimentation, realism, and the historical character of science Marga Vicedo; 11. Making sense of life: explanation in developmental biology Evelyn Fox Keller; 12. Toward an epistemology for biological pluralism Helen E. Longino; 13. Biology and epistemology: emerging themes Kenneth F. Schaffner.
Summary
First published in 2000, this set of essays by some of the best names in philosophy of science explores a range of diverse issues in the intersection of biology and epistemology. The studies, taken together, help to develop and deepen our understanding of how biology works and what counts as warranted knowledge.
