Biological Complexity and Integrative Pluralism
This fine collection of essays by a leading philosopher of science presents a defence of integrative pluralism as the best description for the complexity of scientific inquiry today. The tendency of some scientists to unify science by reducing all theories to a few fundamental laws of the most basic particles that populate our universe is ill-suited to the biological sciences, which study multi-component, multi-level, evolved complex systems. This integrative pluralism is the most efficient way to understand the different and complex processes - historical and interactive - that generate biological phenomena. This book will be of interest to students and professionals in the philosophy of science.
- A collection of essays by a leading philosopher of science
- Puts forward the theory of integrative pluralism as the best explanation for the complexity of biological systems
Product details
November 2003Paperback
9780521520799
262 pages
229 × 152 × 14 mm
0.36kg
14 b/w illus. 5 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- Part I. Complexity:
- 2. Constitutive complexity
- 3. Dynamic complexity
- 4. Evolved diversity
- Part II. Pluralism:
- 5. Laws
- 6. Pluralism or disunity.