Metaphysics and the Origin of SpeciesState University of New York Press, 10 jul 1997 - 377 páginas This sweeping discussion of the philosophy of evolutionary biology is based on the author's revolutionary idea that species are not kinds of organisms but wholes composed of organisms—individuals in the broadest ontological sense. Although the book's primary focus is on species and speciation, it deals with a wide variety of other fundamental units and basic processes and provides a reexamination of the role of classification in biology and other sciences. In explaining his individuality thesis, Michael T. Ghiselin provides extended discussions of such philosophical topics as definition, the reality of various kinds of groups, and how we classify traits and processes. He develops and applies the implications for general biology and other sciences and makes the case that a better understanding of species and of classification in general puts biologists and paleontologists in a much better position to understand nature in general, and such processes as extinction in particular. |
Índice
1 | |
Beyond Language | 19 |
What an Individual Is | 37 |
What an Individual Is Not | 51 |
Some Definitions of Definition | 63 |
Definitions of Species and Some Other Terms | 81 |
Some Alternatives to the Biological Species Concept | 99 |
Objections to the Individuality Thesis | 123 |
Natural and Artificial Systems | 181 |
Characters and Homologies | 199 |
Laws of Nature | 219 |
The Principles of Historical Inference | 231 |
Embryology as History and as Law | 245 |
The Artifactual Basis of Macroevolution | 263 |
Toward a Real History of Life | 285 |
Aphorisms Summary and Glossographic | 301 |
Working Out the Analogies | 135 |
Why Do Species Exist? | 149 |
Objective and Subjective Systems | 163 |
References | 309 |
367 | |
Otras ediciones - Ver todo
Metaphysics and the Origin of Species Michael T. Ghiselin No hay ninguna vista previa disponible - 1997 |
Términos y frases comunes
abstract adaptive analogy animals atoms basic basis biological species concept biologists body brachiopods called cell characters chromosomes cladists claim classes classification cohesive common ancestor consider course Darwin deal defining properties discussion Ecology entities essences evidence evolution evolutionary biology evolve example exist explain fact fossil function Furthermore gene genetic Ghiselin groups hand happens hermaphroditism hierarchy homology important individuality thesis language laws of nature least lineages logical macroevolution mass nouns matter Mayr means metaphysics Metazoa molecule monophyletic morphology names natural selection Nonetheless notion objects obvious occur ontogeny ontological organisms Origin of Species orthogenesis ostensive definition paraphyletic particular perhaps philosophers phylogenetic phylogeny phylum physical populations possible problem provides question rank reason relationship role seems sense sexual sort speciation suggested synapomorphies Systematic Zoology taxa taxon taxonomic theory things tion treated units University Press whole words