PHIL 235 - Philosophy of Biology

2020-2021 Catalog Year

Credit(s): 3
Lecture: 3
Non-Lecture: 0
This course will examine philosophical problems raised by evolutionary theory, genetics and taxonomy. Questions to be addressed include: (a) Is biological theory reducible to chemistry and physics? (b) What is a species? Is there a single, correct way to classify organisms? (c) At what level does selection operate: individual organisms, groups, or “selfish genes”? (d) Does altruism exist in nature? (e) Can the evolutionary model usefully be applied outside of biology? In particular, is sociobiology a promising field of research, or merely an excuse for injustice? (f) Can there be such a thing as “scientific creationism”?

Prerequisite(s): One course in biology or in philosophy.
Offered: Not on a regular basis