The Causal Structure of Natural Selection
Published on 20. October 2021
978-1-108-65203-2 (ISBN)
Description
Recent arguments concerning the nature of causation in evolutionary theory, now often known as the debate between the 'causalist' and 'statisticalist' positions, have involved answers to a variety of independent questions - definitions of key evolutionary concepts like natural selection, fitness, and genetic drift; causation in multi-level systems; or the nature of evolutionary explanations, among others. This Element offers a way to disentangle one set of these questions surrounding the causal structure of natural selection. Doing so allows us to clearly reconstruct the approach that some of these major competing interpretations of evolutionary theory have to this causal structure, highlighting particular features of philosophical interest within each. Further, those features concern problems not exclusive to the philosophy of biology. Connections between them and, in two case studies, contemporary metaphysics and philosophy of physics demonstrate the potential value of broader collaboration in the understanding of evolution.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
File size
1,76 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-108-65203-2 (9781108652032)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Charles H. Pence
The Causal Structure of Natural Selection
Book
11/2021
Cambridge University Press
€75.20
Shipment within 15-20 days
Charles H. Pence
The Causal Structure of Natural Selection
Book
11/2021
Cambridge University Press
€26.60
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Content
Introduction; 1. The Contemporary Debate over Causation in Natural Selection; 2. Diagramming Evolving Systems; 3. New Perspectives on Causalism; 4. Moving the Debate Forward: Two Proposals; 5. Conclusion; References.
