HPS/PL 130 PHILOSOPHY AND BIOLOGY

SPRING 2005. Tue & Th 2-3.30 Baxter 33
Prof. Dominic Murphy

The Course:

This is not a biology class, but a discussion of the philosophical issues that biology raises. Philosophy of biology is a part of the philosophy of science, which tries to understand the ways in which scientists produce knowledge and the broader implications of scientific knowledge. We will discuss the conceptual issues that the study of biology raises. These include particular issues, such as the concepts of function, gene, and adaptation, as well as broader issues. We will address such questions as: What kinds of explanations do biologists provide? What sort of epistemic status do the various claims of biology have? What kinds of tools does biology employ and how do they produce knowledge?

As well as the methods and results of biology proper, philosophy of biology is interested in the relations between biology and other human inquiries. One sort of question looks to more fundamental sciences and asks how biology relates to physics and chemistry, as well as how different parts of biology relate to each other. Another set of questions looks out to the social sciences and the humanities. We can ask whether biology has implications for our self-understanding, conduct and political arrangements.

Our investigation of biology will look at evolutionary theory, molecular biology and cognitive neuroscience. Students are invited and encouraged to draw upon their own knowledge of biology in class discussions.