文档介绍：Philosophy of Biology
Is life a purely physical process? Does the theory of natural selection conflict
with theism and, if so, how can we rationally choose between them? What is
human nature? Which of our traits are essential to us?
Biology is the branch of science most immediately relevant to many dis-
tinctively human concerns, so it is natural that it should be the site of great
controversy and debate. The philosophy of biology addresses not only those
questions that biology cannot yet (or perhaps ever) answer but also the fur-
ther questions about why biology may be unable to answer those questions.
In this volume, Daniel McShea and Alex Rosenberg—a biologist and a
philosopher, respectively—join forces to create a new gateway to the philoso-
phy of biology, making the major issues accessible and relevant to biologists
and philosophers alike.
Exploring concepts such as supervenience, the controversies about geno-
centrism and ic determinism, and the debate about major transitions
central to contemporary thinking about macroevolution, the authors lay out
the broad terms in which we should assess the impact of biology on human
capacities, social institutions, and ethical values.
Alex Rosenberg is R . Taylor Cole Professor of Ph i losophy at D uke Un iversit y.
He is the author of Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction (2nd
edition, 2005) and co-editor with Yuri Balashov of Philosophy of Science:
Contemporary Readings (2002).
Daniel W. McShea is Associate Professor of Biology at Duke University.
Routledge Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy
Series editor:
Paul K. Moser
Loyola University of Chicago
This innovative, well-structured series is for students who have already done an
introductory course in philosophy. Each book introduces a core general subject
in contemporary philosophy and offers students an accessible but substantial
transition from introductory to higher level college work in that subject.