1.2 Historical development of philosophy of biology

Philosophy of biology emerged in the 1960s, blending philosophy of science with evolutionary theory and life sciences. It tackles conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues in biology, engaging closely with scientific practice and examining philosophical questions raised by biological research.

The field's development was influenced by logical positivism, the evolutionary synthesis, and the molecular biology revolution. Key figures like Darwin, Dobzhansky, and Watson shaped debates on evolution, genetics, and the nature of life, sparking philosophical discussions that continue today.

Roots of Philosophy of Biology

Emergence as a Distinct Field

Top images from around the web for Emergence as a Distinct Field

• 

  Philosophy of Biology | Collections | eLife View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Axiomatic Natural Philosophy and the Emergence of Biology as a Science | Journal of the History ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Cyclic and multilevel causation in evolutionary processes | Biology & Philosophy View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Philosophy of Biology | Collections | eLife View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Axiomatic Natural Philosophy and the Emergence of Biology as a Science | Journal of the History ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Emergence as a Distinct Field

• 

  Philosophy of Biology | Collections | eLife View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Axiomatic Natural Philosophy and the Emergence of Biology as a Science | Journal of the History ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Cyclic and multilevel causation in evolutionary processes | Biology & Philosophy View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Philosophy of Biology | Collections | eLife View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Axiomatic Natural Philosophy and the Emergence of Biology as a Science | Journal of the History ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Philosophy of biology emerged as a distinct field in the 1960s and 1970s
• Drew from earlier work in philosophy of science, evolutionary theory, and the life sciences
• Influential early works helped establish the field
  • Michael Ruse's "The Philosophy of Biology" (1973)
  • David Hull's "Philosophy of Biological Science" (1974)
• Establishment of academic journals marked the field's growth
  • "Biology & Philosophy" (1986)
  • "Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences" (1998)

Contemporary Focus Areas

• Addresses conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues in biology
• Active research programs in various subfields
  • Evolutionary theory
  • Genetics
  • Systems biology
• Engages closely with scientific practice
• Examines philosophical questions raised by biological research and theory

Influences on Philosophy of Biology

Logical Positivism and the Scientific Method

• Emphasized scientific method, empirical observation, and the structure of scientific theories
• Influenced early philosophy of biology
• Sought to demarcate science from non-science
• Shaped discussions about the nature of biological explanation and theory structure

Evolutionary Synthesis

• Integrated Darwinian evolution with Mendelian genetics in the 1930s and 1940s
• Shaped philosophical discussions of key concepts
  • Nature of species
  • Adaptation
  • Mechanisms of evolution
• Key works included Dobzhansky's "Genetics and the Origin of Species" (1937) and Mayr's "Systematics and the Origin of Species" (1942)

Molecular Biology Revolution

• Rise of molecular biology in the 1950s and 1960s
• Led to philosophical debates about
  • Reductionism
  • Relationship between structure and function
  • Nature of biological explanation
• Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA structure (1953) was a pivotal moment

Vitalism and Organicism

• Vitalism, the idea that living organisms possess a non-physical vital force, was largely rejected
• Mechanistic and physicalist approaches to biology became dominant
• Organicism emphasized holistic and emergent properties of biological systems
• Influenced discussions of the relationship between parts and wholes in biology

Feminist Philosophy

• Critiqued gender biases in biological research and theory
• Developed alternative approaches to understanding
  • Sex
  • Gender
  • Reproduction
• Challenged traditional assumptions and methodologies in biology
• Advocated for greater diversity and inclusivity in the field

Key Figures in Philosophy of Biology

Charles Darwin

• Developed the theory of evolution by natural selection (1859)
• Laid the groundwork for much of modern biology
• Sparked philosophical debates about
  • Nature of species
  • Adaptation
  • Mechanisms of evolutionary change
• Challenged traditional philosophical and religious views about the nature and origin of life

August Weismann

• Proposed the germ plasm theory (1892)
• Rejected the inheritance of acquired characteristics
• Influenced the development of neo-Darwinism and the modern synthesis
• Contributed to the understanding of heredity and the separation of germ and somatic cells

Theodosius Dobzhansky and Ernst Mayr

• Key figures in the evolutionary synthesis
• Dobzhansky's "Genetics and the Origin of Species" (1937) integrated genetics with evolutionary theory
• Mayr's "Systematics and the Origin of Species" (1942) clarified the biological species concept
• Shaped philosophical discussions of species, speciation, and the mechanisms of evolution

James Watson and Francis Crick

• Discovered the structure of DNA (1953)
• Ushered in the era of molecular biology
• Led to philosophical debates about
  • Reductionism
  • Relationship between structure and function
  • Nature of biological information and heredity

E. O. Wilson and Richard Dawkins

• Wilson's "Sociobiology" (1975) applied evolutionary theory to animal and human behavior
• Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene" (1976) popularized gene-centric views of evolution
• Sparked debates about
  • Units of selection
  • Explanatory power of evolutionary theory
  • Relationship between biology and culture

Philosophy vs Biology Throughout History

Early Intertwining

• Philosophy and biology were closely intertwined in ancient times
• Philosophers like Aristotle made significant contributions to the study of living organisms
• Natural philosophy encompassed both philosophical and empirical investigations of nature

Divergence during the Scientific Revolution

• Scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries led to a divergence between philosophy and natural sciences
• Biology emerged as a distinct field, separate from philosophy
• Emphasis on empirical observation, experimentation, and mathematical description of nature

Darwinian Revolution

• Darwin's theory of evolution challenged traditional philosophical and religious views
• Debates about the implications of evolutionary theory for
  • Human nature
  • Morality
  • Teleology in nature
• Evolutionary theory became a central concern for philosophers of science

Logical Positivism and the Evolutionary Synthesis

• Logical positivism in the early 20th century influenced the development of philosophy of biology
• Emphasized empirical observation and sought to demarcate science from non-science
• Evolutionary synthesis of the 1930s and 1940s integrated evolutionary theory with genetics
• Led to new philosophical questions about
  • Nature of species
  • Adaptation
  • Mechanisms of evolution

Molecular Biology and Reductionism

• Growth of molecular biology in the 1950s and 1960s
• Led to debates about reductionism and the relationship between different levels of biological organization
• Philosophical questions about the nature of biological explanation and the role of physics and chemistry in biology

Contemporary Engagement

• Contemporary philosophy of biology is characterized by close engagement with scientific practice
• Focuses on conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues in various subfields of biology
• Interdisciplinary approach drawing from philosophy, biology, and other fields
• Addresses philosophical questions raised by new developments in biology
  • Genomics
  • Systems biology
  • Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Neuroscience