The Cambridge Companion to the Philosophy of Biology (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy) by David L. Hull
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Do the sciences aim to uncover the structure of nature, or are they ultimately a practical means of controlling our environment?
In Instrumental Biology, or the Disunity of Science, Alexander Rosenberg argues that while physics and chemistry can develop laws that reveal the structure of natural phenomena, biology is fated to be a practical, instrumental discipline. Because of the complexity produced by natural selection, and because of the limits on human cognition, scientists are prevented from uncovering the basic structure of biological phenomena. Consequently, biology and all of the disciplines that rest upon it—psychology and the other human sciences—must aim at most to provide practical tools for coping with the natural world rather than a complete theoretical understanding of it.
In Instrumental Biology, or the Disunity of Science, Alexander Rosenberg argues that while physics and chemistry can develop laws that reveal the structure of natural phenomena, biology is fated to be a practical, instrumental discipline. Because of the complexity produced by natural selection, and because of the limits on human cognition, scientists are prevented from uncovering the basic structure of biological phenomena. Consequently, biology and all of the disciplines that rest upon it—psychology and the other human sciences—must aim at most to provide practical tools for coping with the natural world rather than a complete theoretical understanding of it.
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Inside This Book Citations: This book cites 40 books Explore: Citations | Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Key Phrases - SIPs: causally relevant background conditions, nonevolutionary forces, monist genic selectionism, real causal story, classical genetic theory (more) Key Phrases - CAPs: John Beatty, Philip Kitcher, Journal of Philosophy, Kenneth Waters, New York (more) Browse Sample Pages: Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me! |
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
IS SCIENCE AN enterprise that aims to limn the structure of nature and reveal the essence of things? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
causally relevant background conditions, nonevolutionary forces, monist genic selectionism, real causal story, classical genetic theory, propensity definition, probabilistic propensities, explanatory extension, probabilistic propensity, evolutionary probabilities, intentional psychology, predictive weakness, evolutionary generalizations, differential perpetuation, environmental appropriateness, instrumental science, nomological generalizations, instrumental discipline, coextensive predicates, epistemic probabilities, smooth reduction, supervenience bases, cytological level, neural states, fitness differences Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
John Beatty, Philip Kitcher, Journal of Philosophy, Kenneth Waters, New York, The Structure of Biological Science, Daniel Dennett, Elliott Sober, Philosophy of Biological Science, Bradford Books, David Hull, Oxford University Press, Patricia Kitcher, Princeton University Press, Sewall Wright, Tempered Realism, University of Chicago Press, Alexander Rosenberg, Cambridge
IS SCIENCE AN enterprise that aims to limn the structure of nature and reveal the essence of things? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
causally relevant background conditions, nonevolutionary forces, monist genic selectionism, real causal story, classical genetic theory, propensity definition, probabilistic propensities, explanatory extension, probabilistic propensity, evolutionary probabilities, intentional psychology, predictive weakness, evolutionary generalizations, differential perpetuation, environmental appropriateness, instrumental science, nomological generalizations, instrumental discipline, coextensive predicates, epistemic probabilities, smooth reduction, supervenience bases, cytological level, neural states, fitness differences Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
John Beatty, Philip Kitcher, Journal of Philosophy, Kenneth Waters, New York, The Structure of Biological Science, Daniel Dennett, Elliott Sober, Philosophy of Biological Science, Bradford Books, David Hull, Oxford University Press, Patricia Kitcher, Princeton University Press, Sewall Wright, Tempered Realism, University of Chicago Press, Alexander Rosenberg, Cambridge