Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology

by Alex Rosenberg (Editor), Robert Arp (Editor)

By combining excerpts from key historical writings with editors' introductions and further reading material, "Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology" offers a comprehensive, accessible, and up-to-date collection of the field's most significant works. Addresses central questions such as 'What is life?' and 'How did it begin?', and the most current research and arguments on evolution and developmental biology Editorial notes throughout the text define, clarify, and qualify ideas, concepts and arguments Includes material on evolutionary psychology and evolutionary developmental biology not found in other standard philosophy of biology anthologies Further reading material assists novices in delving deeper into research in philosophy of biology

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Biology, Evolution

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Alex Rosenberg's first novel, "The Girl From Krakow," is a thriller that explores how a young woman and her lover navigate the dangerous thirties, the firestorm of war in Europe, and how they make sense of their survival. Alex's second novel, "Autumn in Oxford" is a murder mystery set in Britain in the late 1950s. It takes the reader back to the second world war in the American south and England before D-day, France during the Liberation and New York in the late '40s. It will be published by Lake Union in August.

Before he became a novelist Alex wrote a large number of books about the philosophy of science, especially about economics and biology. These books were mainly addressed to other academics. But in 2011 Alex published a book that explores the answers that science gives to the big questions of philosophy that thinking people ask themselves--questions about the nature of reality, the meaning of life, moral values, free will, the relationship of the mind to the brain, and our human future. That book, "The Atheist's Guide to Reality," was widely reviewed and was quite controversial.

When he's not writing historical novels, Alex Rosenberg is a professor of philosophy at Duke University.

Reviews

[Siamand Lalisani · Rating 1 out of 5]

برعکس عنوان کتاب که با دیدنش فکر کردم با اثری متفاوت و فلسفی روبرو هستم، متن کتاب به هیچ وجه دارای بار فلسفی نبود! (چه برسد به فلسفه زیست شناسی)
این کتاب هیچ اطلاعات جدید و مفیدی به خواننده انتقال نمی‌دهد و با احترام به مترجمان این کتاب (که ترجمه ای قابل قبول ارائه کرده اند) به هیچ عنوان ارزش مطالعاتی ندارد و به دوستان پیشنهاد میدهم که گول عنوان و جلد جذاب کتاب را نخورند!

[Alborz Baghipour · Rating 1 out of 5]

یکی از بی‌خودترین کتابایی که تو این چندوقت اخیر خوندم

نویسنده با جمله‌ی «زیست‌شناسی با هرگامی که به سوی پیشرفت برمی‌دارد، با پرسش‌هایی روبرو می‌شود که در پاسخ‌گویی به آنها ناتوان است» سخن را آغاز می‌کند و در طول کتاب هیچ حرف تازه‌ای برای گفتن ندارد، جز اینکه به هر نحوی فریاد بزند که زیست‌شناسی هم مثل باقیِ علوم، ناتوان در پاسخگویی به پرسش‌های بنیادی بشر است و پیدا کردن پاسخی برای این سوال‌ها کار فلسفه است و فیلسوفان
اعصاب‌خُرد کننده‌تر از همه اینکه مثلاً در کتاب «گولد» یک دانشمند آگاه و بسیار خَفن معرفی شده و «ویلسون» یک زیست‌شناس تکاملی سطحی

حیفِ اون‌همه ذوقی که موقع دیدن کتاب تو قفسه‌ی کتاب‌فروشی کردم

[Kate M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book that proves that I am a science geek. I borrowed this from my advisor's office, but I had to go to Amazon and purchase my own (it's a really pretty book, and full of great writing). I've only had a chance to peruse it and read the introduction, but so far I'm impressed.