Darwin and the Nature of Species

Examines Darwin's concept of species in a philosophical context.

Since the 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species, the concept of "species" in biology has been widely debated, with its precise definition far from settled. And yet, amazingly, there have been no books devoted to Charles Darwin's thinking on the term until now. David N. Stamos gives us a groundbreaking, historical reconstruction of Darwin's detailed, yet often misinterpreted, thoughts on this complex concept.

Stamos provides a thorough and detailed analysis of Darwin's extensive writings, both published and unpublished, in order to reveal Darwin's actual species concept. Stamos argues that Darwin had a unique evolutionary species concept in mind, one that was not at all a product of his time. Challenging currently accepted views that believe Darwin was merely following the species ascriptions of his fellow naturalists, Stamos works to prove that this prevailing, nominalistic view should be overturned. This book also addresses three issues pertinent to the philosophy of science: the modern species problem, the nature of concept change in scientific revolutions, and the contextualist trend in professional history of science.

1120736689
Darwin and the Nature of Species

Examines Darwin's concept of species in a philosophical context.

Since the 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species, the concept of "species" in biology has been widely debated, with its precise definition far from settled. And yet, amazingly, there have been no books devoted to Charles Darwin's thinking on the term until now. David N. Stamos gives us a groundbreaking, historical reconstruction of Darwin's detailed, yet often misinterpreted, thoughts on this complex concept.

Stamos provides a thorough and detailed analysis of Darwin's extensive writings, both published and unpublished, in order to reveal Darwin's actual species concept. Stamos argues that Darwin had a unique evolutionary species concept in mind, one that was not at all a product of his time. Challenging currently accepted views that believe Darwin was merely following the species ascriptions of his fellow naturalists, Stamos works to prove that this prevailing, nominalistic view should be overturned. This book also addresses three issues pertinent to the philosophy of science: the modern species problem, the nature of concept change in scientific revolutions, and the contextualist trend in professional history of science.

34.95 In Stock
Darwin and the Nature of Species

Darwin and the Nature of Species

by David N. Stamos
Darwin and the Nature of Species

Darwin and the Nature of Species

by David N. Stamos

eBook

$34.95 

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Overview

Examines Darwin's concept of species in a philosophical context.

Since the 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species, the concept of "species" in biology has been widely debated, with its precise definition far from settled. And yet, amazingly, there have been no books devoted to Charles Darwin's thinking on the term until now. David N. Stamos gives us a groundbreaking, historical reconstruction of Darwin's detailed, yet often misinterpreted, thoughts on this complex concept.

Stamos provides a thorough and detailed analysis of Darwin's extensive writings, both published and unpublished, in order to reveal Darwin's actual species concept. Stamos argues that Darwin had a unique evolutionary species concept in mind, one that was not at all a product of his time. Challenging currently accepted views that believe Darwin was merely following the species ascriptions of his fellow naturalists, Stamos works to prove that this prevailing, nominalistic view should be overturned. This book also addresses three issues pertinent to the philosophy of science: the modern species problem, the nature of concept change in scientific revolutions, and the contextualist trend in professional history of science.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780791480885
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Publication date: 02/01/2012
Series: SUNY series in Philosophy and Biology
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 293
File size: 534 KB
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

David N. Stamos teaches philosophy at York University, Toronto and is the author of The Species Problem: Biological Species, Ontology, and the Metaphysics of Biology.


David N. Stamos teaches philosophy at York University in Toronto. He is the author of several books, including Darwin and the Nature of Species, also published by SUNY Press.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

1. A History of Nominalist Interpretation

2. Taxon, Category, and Laws of Nature

3. The Horizontal/Vertical Distinction and the Language Analogy

4. Common Descent and Natural Classification

5. Natural Selection and the Unity of Science

6. Not Sterility, Fertility, or Niches

7. The Varieties Problem

8. Darwin’s Strategy

9. Concept Change in Scientific Revolutions

10. Darwin and the New Historiography

Notes  
References
Index

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