Darwinian Populations And Natural Selection

Author : Peter Godfrey-Smith
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 218 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2009-03-26
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780191609558

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Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection by Peter Godfrey-Smith Pdf

In 1859 Darwin described a deceptively simple mechanism that he called "natural selection," a combination of variation, inheritance, and reproductive success. He argued that this mechanism was the key to explaining the most puzzling features of the natural world, and science and philosophy were changed forever as a result. The exact nature of the Darwinian process has been controversial ever since, however. Godfrey-Smith draws on new developments in biology, philosophy of science, and other fields to give a new analysis and extension of Darwin's idea. The central concept used is that of a "Darwinian population," a collection of things with the capacity to undergo change by natural selection. From this starting point, new analyses of the role of genes in evolution, the application of Darwinian ideas to cultural change, and "evolutionary transitions" that produce complex organisms and societies are developed. Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection will be essential reading for anyone interested in evolutionary theory

Author : Peter Godfrey-Smith
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 207 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Evolution (Biology)
ISBN : 0191810355

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Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection by Peter Godfrey-Smith Pdf

In 1859 Charles Darwin described a deceptively simple mechanism that he called 'natural selection', a combination of variation, inheritance, and reproductive success. He argued that this mechanism was the key to explaining the most puzzling features of the natural world, and science and philosophy were changed forever as a result. The exact nature of the Darwinian process has been controversial ever since, however. The author draws on new developments in biology, philosophy of science, and other fields to give a new analysis and extension of Darwin's idea.

Author : Jerry Fodor,Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini
Publisher : Profile Books
Page : 262 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2011-02-24
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781847651907

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What Darwin Got Wrong by Jerry Fodor,Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini Pdf

Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piatelli-Palmarini, a distinguished philosopher and scientist working in tandem, reveal major flaws at the heart of Darwinian evolutionary theory. They do not deny Darwin's status as an outstanding scientist but question the inferences he drew from his observations. Combining the results of cutting-edge work in experimental biology with crystal-clear philosophical argument they mount a devastating critique of the central tenets of Darwin's account of the origin of species. The logic underlying natural selection is the survival of the fittest under changing environmental pressure. This logic, they argue, is mistaken. They back up the claim with evidence of what actually happens in nature. This is a rare achievement - the short book that is likely to make a great deal of difference to a very large subject. What Darwin Got Wrong will be controversial. The authors' arguments will reverberate through the scientific world. At the very least they will transform the debate about evolution.

Author : Kostas Kampourakis
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 275 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2014-04-03
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781107034914

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Understanding Evolution by Kostas Kampourakis Pdf

Bringing together conceptual obstacles and core concepts of evolutionary theory, this book presents evolution as straightforward and intuitive.

Author : Grant Ramsey,Charles H. Pence
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2016-10-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780226401911

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Chance in Evolution by Grant Ramsey,Charles H. Pence Pdf

This illuminating volume explores the effects of chance on evolution, covering diverse perspectives from scientists, philosophers, and historians. The evolution of species, from single-celled organisms to multicellular animals and plants, is the result of a long and highly chancy history. But how profoundly has chance shaped life on earth? And what, precisely, do we mean by chance? Bringing together biologists, philosophers of science, and historians of science, Chance in Evolution is the first book to untangle the far-reaching effects of chance, contingency, and randomness on the evolution of life. The book begins by placing chance in historical context, starting with the ancients and moving through Darwin to contemporary biology. It documents the shifts in our understanding of chance as Darwin’s theory of evolution developed into the modern synthesis, and how the acceptance of chance in Darwinian theory affected theological resistance to it. Other chapters discuss how chance relates to the concepts of genetic drift, mutation, and parallel evolution—as well as recent work in paleobiology and the experimental evolution of microbes. By engaging in collaboration across biology, history, philosophy, and theology, this book offers a comprehensive overview both of the history of chance in evolution and of our current understanding of the impact of chance on life.

Author : National Academy of Sciences
Publisher : Sackler Colloquium
Page : 388 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Science
ISBN : UOM:39015073872999

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In the Light of Evolution by National Academy of Sciences Pdf

The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences address scientific topics of broad and current interest, cutting across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Each year, four or five such colloquia are scheduled, typically two days in length and international in scope. Colloquia are organized by a member of the Academy, often with the assistance of an organizing committee, and feature presentations by leading scientists in the field and discussions with a hundred or more researchers with an interest in the topic. Colloquia presentations are recorded and posted on the National Academy of Sciences Sackler colloquia website and published on CD-ROM. These Colloquia are made possible by a generous gift from Mrs. Jill Sackler, in memory of her husband, Arthur M. Sackler.

Author : Peter Godfrey-Smith
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 200 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2016-09-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780691174679

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Philosophy of Biology by Peter Godfrey-Smith Pdf

An essential introduction to the philosophy of biology This is a concise, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the philosophy of biology written by a leading authority on the subject. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, the book provides sophisticated and innovative coverage of the central topics and many of the latest developments in the field. Emphasizing connections between biological theories and other areas of philosophy, and carefully explaining both philosophical and biological terms, Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses the relation between philosophy and science; examines the role of laws, mechanistic explanation, and idealized models in biological theories; describes evolution by natural selection; and assesses attempts to extend Darwin's mechanism to explain changes in ideas, culture, and other phenomena. Further topics include functions and teleology, individuality and organisms, species, the tree of life, and human nature. The book closes with detailed, cutting-edge treatments of the evolution of cooperation, of information in biology, and of the role of communication in living systems at all scales. Authoritative and up-to-date, this is an essential guide for anyone interested in the important philosophical issues raised by the biological sciences.

Author : Donald Forsdyke
Publisher : McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
Page : 296 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 077352259X

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Origin of Species Revisited by Donald Forsdyke Pdf

Major inconsistencies in Darwin's theory of the origin of species by natural selection remained unresolved for over a century until the results of recent research in various genome projects led to the theory's reinterpretation. Reviewing this new information, Donald Forsdyke, a laboratory scientist involved in genome research, wondered whether similar discoveries could have been made a century earlier, by one of Darwin's contemporaries. The Origin of Species Revisited describes his investigation into the history of evolutionary biology and its startling conclusion. The trail led first to Joseph Hooker and Thomas Huxley, who had been both the theory's strongest supporters and its most penetrating critics, and eventually to the Victorian George Romanes and Darwin's young research associate William Bateson. Although these men were well-known, their resolution of the origin of species paradox has either been ignored (Romanes), or ignored and reviled (Bateson). Four years after Darwin's death, Romanes published a theory of the origin of species by means of "physiological selection" that resolved the inconsistencies in Darwin's theory and introduced the idea of a "peculiarity" of the reproductive system that allowed selective fertility between "physiological complements." Forsdyke argues that the chemical basis of the origin of species by physiological selection is actually the species-dependent component of the base composition of DNA, showing that Romanes thus anticipated modern biochemistry. Using this new perspective Forsdyke considers some of the outstanding problems in biology and medicine, including the question of how "self" is distinguished from "not-self" by members of different species. Finally he examines the political and ideological forces that led to Romanes' contribution to evolutionary biology remaining unappreciated until now.

Author : Charles Darwin
Publisher : Hackett Publishing
Page : 382 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 1996-01-01
Category : Reference
ISBN : 0872202852

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On Evolution by Charles Darwin Pdf

Offers an introduction that presents Darwin's theory. This title includes excerpts from Darwin's correspondence, commenting on the work in question, and its significance, impact, and reception.

Author : Charles Darwin
Publisher : Penguin Group
Page : 68 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 1996
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 0146001443

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The Galapagos Islands by Charles Darwin Pdf

Author : George Christopher Williams
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 335 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2018-10-30
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691185507

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Adaptation and Natural Selection by George Christopher Williams Pdf

Biological evolution is a fact—but the many conflicting theories of evolution remain controversial even today. When Adaptation and Natural Selection was first published in 1966, it struck a powerful blow against those who argued for the concept of group selection—the idea that evolution acts to select entire species rather than individuals. Williams’s famous work in favor of simple Darwinism over group selection has become a classic of science literature, valued for its thorough and convincing argument and its relevance to many fields outside of biology. Now with a new foreword by Richard Dawkins, Adaptation and Natural Selection is an essential text for understanding the nature of scientific debate.

Author : Darwin, Charles
Publisher : Aegitas
Page : 423 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2017-01-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781773137339

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The Origin of Species by Darwin, Charles Pdf

On the Origin of Species (or more completely, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life), published on 24 November 1859, is a work of scientific literature by Charles Darwin which is considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology. Darwin's book introduced the scientific theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection. It presented a body of evidence that the diversity of life arose by common descent through a branching pattern of evolution. Darwin included evidence that he had gathered on the Beagle expedition in the 1830s and his subsequent findings from research, correspondence, and experimentation.

Author : Charles Darwin
Publisher : Read Books Ltd
Page : 463 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2020-05-01
Category : Travel
ISBN : 9781528789752

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The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin Pdf

First published in 1839, “The Voyage of the Beagle” is the book written by Charles Darwin that chronicles his experience of the famous survey expedition of the ship HMS Beagle. Part travel memoir, part scientific field journal, it covers such topics as biology, anthropology, and geology, demonstrating Darwin's changing views and ideas while he was developing his theory of evolution. A book highly recommended for those with an interest in evolution and is not to be missed by collectors of important historical literature. Contents include: “St. Jago—Cape De Verd Islands”, “Rio De Janeiro”, “Maldonado”, “Rio Negro To Bahia Blanca”, “Bahia Blanca”, “Bahia Blanca To Buenos Ayres”, “Banda Oriental And Patagonia”, etc. Charles Robert Darwin (1809–1882) was an English geologist, naturalist, and biologist most famous for his contributions to the science of evolution and his book “On the Origin of Species” (1859). This classic work is being republished now in a new edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Author : Susan Oyama
Publisher : Duke University Press
Page : 298 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2000-03-16
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780822380665

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The Ontogeny of Information by Susan Oyama Pdf

The Ontogeny of Information is a critical intervention into the ongoing and perpetually troubling nature-nurture debates surrounding human development. Originally published in 1985, this was a foundational text in what is now the substantial field of developmental systems theory. In this revised edition Susan Oyama argues compellingly that nature and nurture are not alternative influences on human development but, rather, developmental products and the developmental processes that produce them. Information, says Oyama, is thought to reside in molecules, cells, tissues, and the environment. When something wondrous occurs in the world, we tend to question whether the information guiding the transformation was pre-encoded in the organism or installed through experience or instruction. Oyama looks beyond this either-or question to focus on the history of such developments. She shows that what developmental “information” does depends on what is already in place and what alternatives are available. She terms this process “constructive interactionism,” whereby each combination of genes and environmental influences simultaneously interacts to produce a unique result. Ontogeny, then, is the result of dynamic and complex interactions in multileveled developmental systems. The Ontogeny of Information challenges specialists in the fields of developmental biology, philosophy of biology, psychology, and sociology, and even nonspecialists, to reexamine the existing nature-nurture dichotomy as it relates to the history and formation of organisms.

Author : J. David Archibald
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2017-10-10
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780231545297

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Origins of Darwin's Evolution by J. David Archibald Pdf

Historical biogeography—the study of the history of species through both time and place—first convinced Charles Darwin of evolution. This field was so important to Darwin’s initial theories and line of thinking that he said as much in the very first paragraph of On the Origin of Species (1859) and later in his autobiography. His methods included collecting mammalian fossils in South America clearly related to living forms, tracing the geographical distributions of living species across South America, and sampling peculiar fauna of the geologically young Galápagos Archipelago that showed evident affinities to South American forms. Over the years, Darwin collected other evidence in support of evolution, but his historical biogeographical arguments remained paramount, so much so that he devotes three full chapters to this topic in On the Origin of Species. Discussions of Darwin’s landmark book too often give scant attention to this wealth of evidence, and we still do not fully appreciate its significance in Darwin’s thinking. In Origins of Darwin’s Evolution, J. David Archibald explores this lapse, showing how Darwin first came to the conclusion that, instead of various centers of creation, species had evolved in different regions throughout the world. He also shows that Darwin’s other early passion—geology—proved a more elusive corroboration of evolution. On the Origin of Species has only one chapter dedicated to the rock and fossil record, as it then appeared too incomplete for Darwin’s evidentiary standards. Carefully retracing Darwin’s gathering of evidence and the evolution of his thinking, Origins of Darwin’s Evolution achieves a new understanding of how Darwin crafted his transformative theory.