The Philosophy of Evolutionary Theory: Concepts, Inferences, and Probabilities

Elliott Sober's book explores a range of topics in evolutionary biology, including fitness, altruism, common ancestry, chance, taxonomy, phylogenetic inference, operationalism, reductionism, conventionalism, null hypotheses, default reasoning, instrumentalism versus realism, hypothetico-deductivism, essentialism, falsifiability, the principle of parsimony, the principle of the common cause, causality, determinism versus indeterminism, sensitivity to initial conditions, and the knowability of the past. His philosophical analyses of these key concepts and methods of inference are valuable for understanding evolutionary biology in both its Darwinian and contemporary forms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 308 pages
Publication date: 08 February 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Darwin's theory of evolution and the subsequent 20th- and 21st-century theories that emerged from it revolve around the fundamental concepts of natural selection, mutation, and adaptation. However, the field of evolutionary biology encompasses a wide array of other important topics that raise intriguing philosophical questions. In his book, Elliott Sober delves into a diverse range of these topics, encompassing fitness, altruism, common ancestry, chance, taxonomy, phylogenetic inference, operationalism, reductionism, conventionalism, null hypotheses and default reasoning, instrumentalism versus realism, hypothetico-deductivism, essentialism, falsifiability, the principle of parsimony, the principle of the common cause, causality, determinism versus indeterminism, sensitivity to initial conditions, and the knowability of the past.

Sober's comprehensive philosophical analyses of these key concepts, arguments, and methods of inference offer valuable insights for all readers seeking to comprehend evolutionary biology in both its Darwinian and contemporary manifestations. By exploring these diverse topics, Sober provides a deeper understanding of the philosophical foundations and implications of evolutionary biology, fostering a more nuanced and informed perspective on this fascinating field.

Weight: 534g
ISBN-13: 9781009376013