The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology

The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology is an exciting collection of new essays written especially to give the reader an introduction to one of the most vibrant areas of scholarship today, and at the same time to move the subject forward dramatically. Written in a clear and rigorous style it will give the more experienced scholar much to think about and will also be of great value to the new student of the subject. The handbook covers the history of the topic, then moves into important analyses of contemporary evolutionary thinking, and continues with discussions of genetics and the moral and epistemological foundations of our understanding of heredity. The book goes on to cover ecology, behavior and morality, and does not neglect religion or feminist issues. Finally, it takes up matters to do with language and metaphor. The authors range from the senior and experienced to new and exciting young scholars. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology is a collection that will be of interest to philosophers of science, to philosophers generally, as well as biologists of all kinds. There is no better way to learn about this dynamic field than through the essays in this volume.

Michael Ruse is Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University

Contributors
Introduction - Michael Ruse
1. History of the Philosophy of Biology, David Hull
2. Natural Selection and the Structure of Evolutionary Theory, Michael Ruse
3. Population Thinking, Andre Ariew
4. Testing and Optimality Models, Steven Orzack
5. Teleology, Denis Walsh
6. Evolvability, Roger Sansom
7. Species and Taxonomy, Richard Richards
8. Chance and Contingency, John Beatty
9. Macroevolution, David Sepkoski
10. Molecular Biology and Reduction, Ken Waters
11. Origins of Life Studies, James Greisemer
12. Evo-Devo, Jason Robert
13. Philosophical Issues Arising from Genomics, Zac Ernst
14. Animal Behavior, Stephen Crowley and Colin Allen
15. Neurocience, Adina Roskies and Ian Gold
16. Teleological Theories of Mental Content, Karen Neander
17. Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psych, and Cultural Evolution, Matteo Mameli
18. Evolution of Moral Norms, William Harms and Brian Skyrms
19. Genes and Society, Lisa Gannett
20. The Concept of Race in Medicine, Robin Andreasen
21. Ecology and the Environment, Anya Plutynski
22. Agriculture and Agricultural Biotechnology, David Castle
23. Biology and Religion, Nancey Murphy and Jeffrey Schloss
24. Feminist Philosophy of Biology, Carla Fehr
25. Rhetoric in Biology, Ana Barahona and Vladimir Cachón