What the Philosophy of Biology Is

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-IX

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2. David Hull Through Two Decades

   • Michael Ruse

   Pages 1-15

3. Rethinking the Propensity Interpretation: A Peek Inside Pandora’s Box1

   • John Beatty, Susan Finsen

   Pages 17-30

4. Species as Entities of Biological Theory

   • Joel Cracraft

   Pages 31-52

5. Individuality, History and Laws of Nature in Biology

   • Michael T. Ghiselin

   Pages 53-66

6. Interaction and Evolution

   • Marjorie Grene

   Pages 67-73

7. Picturing Weismannism: A Case Study of Conceptual Evolution

   • James R. Griesemer, William C. Wimsatt

   Pages 75-137

8. Replicators and Interactors in Cultural Evolution

   • C. M. Heyes, H. C. Plotkin

   Pages 139-162

9. Darwin’s Theory and Darwin’s Argument

   • M. J. S. Hodge

   Pages 163-182

10. Some Puzzles About Species

    • Philip Kitcher

    Pages 183-208

11. The Rational Weight of the Scientific Past: Forging Fundamental Change in a Conservative Discipline

    • Larry Laudan

    Pages 209-220

12. Individuals, Species and the Development of Mineralogy and Geology

    • Rachel Laudan

    Pages 221-233

13. Attaching Names to Objects

    • Ernst Mayr

    Pages 235-243

14. From Reductionism to Instrumentalism?

    • Alexander Rosenberg

    Pages 245-262

15. Systematics and Circularity

    • Elliott Sober

    Pages 263-273

16. David Hull’s Conception of the Structure of Evolutionary Theory

    • Paul Thompson

    Pages 275-287

17. Kinds, Individuals and Theories

    • E. O. Wiley

    Pages 289-300

18. Evolvers are Individuals: Extension of the Species as Individuals Claim

    • Mary B. Williams

    Pages 301-308

19. A Function for Actual Examples in Philosophy of Science

    • David L. Hull

    Pages 309-321

20. Back Matter

    Pages 323-339

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Philosophers of science frequently bemoan (or cheer) the fact that today, with the supposed collapse of logical empiricism, there are now ;;10 grand systems. However, although this mayor may not be true, and if true mayor may not be a cause for delight, no one should conclude that the philosophy of science has ground to a halt, its problems exhausted and its practioners dispirited. In fact, in this post­ Kuhnian age the subject has never been more alive, as we work with enthusiasm on special topics, historical and conceptual. And no topic has grown and thrived quite like the philosophy of biology, which now has many students in the field producing high-quality articles and monographs. The success of this subject is due above all to the work and influence of one man: David Hull. In his own writings and in the support he has given to others, he has shown true leadership, in the best Platonic sense. It is now twenty years since Hull fnt gave his seminal paper 'What the philosophy of biology is not', and to mark that point and to show our respect, gratitude and affection to its author, a number of us who owe much to Hull decided to produce a volume of essays on and around themes to which Hull has spoken.

• philosophy of biology

• University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

  Michael Ruse

Policies and ethics