Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection write by Peter Godfrey-Smith. This book was released on 2009-03-26. Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. In 1859 Darwin described a deceptively simple mechanism that he called "natural selection," a combination of variation, inheritance, and reproductive success. He argued that this mechanism was the key to explaining the most puzzling features of the natural world. The exact nature of the Darwinian process has been controversial ever since. Draws on new developments in biology, philosophy of science, and other fields to give a new analysis and extension of Darwin's idea. The central concept used is that of a "Darwinian population," a collection of things with the capacity to undergo change by natural selection. From this starting point, new analyses of the role of genes in evolution, the application of Darwinian ideas to cultural change, and "evolutionary transitions" that produce complex organisms and societies are developed.
What Darwin Got Wrong
What Darwin Got Wrong - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook What Darwin Got Wrong write by Jerry Fodor. This book was released on 2011-02-24. What Darwin Got Wrong available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piatelli-Palmarini, a distinguished philosopher and scientist working in tandem, reveal major flaws at the heart of Darwinian evolutionary theory. They do not deny Darwin's status as an outstanding scientist but question the inferences he drew from his observations. Combining the results of cutting-edge work in experimental biology with crystal-clear philosophical argument they mount a devastating critique of the central tenets of Darwin's account of the origin of species. The logic underlying natural selection is the survival of the fittest under changing environmental pressure. This logic, they argue, is mistaken. They back up the claim with evidence of what actually happens in nature. This is a rare achievement - the short book that is likely to make a great deal of difference to a very large subject. What Darwin Got Wrong will be controversial. The authors' arguments will reverberate through the scientific world. At the very least they will transform the debate about evolution.
Philosophy of Biology
Philosophy of Biology - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Philosophy of Biology write by Peter Godfrey-Smith. This book was released on 2016-09-06. Philosophy of Biology available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. An essential introduction to the philosophy of biology This is a concise, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the philosophy of biology written by a leading authority on the subject. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, the book provides sophisticated and innovative coverage of the central topics and many of the latest developments in the field. Emphasizing connections between biological theories and other areas of philosophy, and carefully explaining both philosophical and biological terms, Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses the relation between philosophy and science; examines the role of laws, mechanistic explanation, and idealized models in biological theories; describes evolution by natural selection; and assesses attempts to extend Darwin's mechanism to explain changes in ideas, culture, and other phenomena. Further topics include functions and teleology, individuality and organisms, species, the tree of life, and human nature. The book closes with detailed, cutting-edge treatments of the evolution of cooperation, of information in biology, and of the role of communication in living systems at all scales. Authoritative and up-to-date, this is an essential guide for anyone interested in the important philosophical issues raised by the biological sciences.
Understanding Evolution
Understanding Evolution - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Understanding Evolution write by Kostas Kampourakis. This book was released on 2014-04-03. Understanding Evolution available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Bringing together conceptual obstacles and core concepts of evolutionary theory, this book presents evolution as straightforward and intuitive.
Chance in Evolution
Chance in Evolution - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Chance in Evolution write by Grant Ramsey. This book was released on 2016-10-25. Chance in Evolution available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. This illuminating volume explores the effects of chance on evolution, covering diverse perspectives from scientists, philosophers, and historians. The evolution of species, from single-celled organisms to multicellular animals and plants, is the result of a long and highly chancy history. But how profoundly has chance shaped life on earth? And what, precisely, do we mean by chance? Bringing together biologists, philosophers of science, and historians of science, Chance in Evolution is the first book to untangle the far-reaching effects of chance, contingency, and randomness on the evolution of life. The book begins by placing chance in historical context, starting with the ancients and moving through Darwin to contemporary biology. It documents the shifts in our understanding of chance as Darwin’s theory of evolution developed into the modern synthesis, and how the acceptance of chance in Darwinian theory affected theological resistance to it. Other chapters discuss how chance relates to the concepts of genetic drift, mutation, and parallel evolution—as well as recent work in paleobiology and the experimental evolution of microbes. By engaging in collaboration across biology, history, philosophy, and theology, this book offers a comprehensive overview both of the history of chance in evolution and of our current understanding of the impact of chance on life.
