Contemporary debates in philosophy of biology. / edited by Francisco J. Ayala and Robert Arp.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

It is possible to reduce biological explanations to explanations in chemistry and/or physics / Evelyn Fox Keller -- It is not possible to reduce biological explanations to explanations in chemistry and/or physics / John Dupré -- Traits have evolved to function the way they do because of a past advantage / Mark Perlman -- Traits have not evolved to function the way they do because of a past advantage / Robert Cummins and Martin Roth -- Species are real biological entities / Michael F. Claridge -- Species are not uniquely real biological entities / Brent D. Mishler -- Selection does operate primarily on genes : in defense of the gene as the unit of selection / Carmen Sapienza -- Selection does not operate primarily on genes / Richard M. Burian -- Microevolution and macroevolution are governed by the same processes / Michael R. Dietrich -- Microevolution and macroevolution are not governed by the same processes / Douglas H. Erwin -- Evolutionary developmental biology offers a significant challenge to the neo-Darwinian paradigm / Manfred D. Laubichler -- Evolutionary developmental biology does not offer a significant challenge to the neo-Darwinian paradigm / Alessandro Minelli -- The basic components of the human mind were solidified during the Pleistocene epoch / Valerie G. Starratt and Todd K. Shackelford -- The basic components of the human mind were not solidified during the Pleistocene epoch / Stephen M. Downes -- Memetics does provide a useful way of understanding cultural evolution / Susan Blackmore -- Memetics does not provide a useful way of understanding cultural evolution : a developmental perspective / William C. Wimsatt -- The biological sciences can act as a ground for ethics / Michael Ruse -- What the biological sciences can and cannot contribute to ethics / Francisco J. Ayala -- There is a place for intelligent design in the philosophy of biology : intelligent design in (philosophy of) biology : some legitimate roles / Del Ratzsch -- There is no place for intelligent design in the philosophy of biology : intelligent design is not science / Francisco J. Ayala.

This collection of specially commissioned essays puts top scholars head to head to debate the central issues in the lively and fast growing field of philosophy of biology: Brings together original essays on ten of the most hotly debated questions in philosophy of biology; Lively head-to-head debate format sharply defines the issues and paves the way for further discussion; Includes coverage of the new and vital area of evolutionary developmental biology, as well as the concept of a unified species, the role of genes in selection, the differences between micro- and macro-evolution, and much mor.

Print version record.