Philosophy of Biology

Praise for the first edition:

"A superb teaching aid,... this is an altogether excellent introduction to the philosophy of biology."

--Mind

"For too long the philosophy of science has meant the philosophy of physics. Elliott Sober is a leading member of a group of philosophers now taking seriously the equally interesting and important philosophical problems raised by biology. His text is an excellent introduction to these issues."

--John Maynard Smith, University of Sussex

"Throughout, Sober is exceptionally clear as he leads the reader through the central literature. His reminders not to confuse propositions with those making them is valuable advice. So is his sensible insistence that a particular model or example may stand or fall without proving or falsifying an entire theory."

--Choice

"Elliott Sober has written Philosophy of Biology as an introductory text, and as such it succeeds admirably. But in addition to addressing more popular controversies such as sociobiology and creationism, he also motivates, elucidates, and even advances the current debates among his peers. As always, Sober's exposition is clear and penetrating."

--David L. Hull, Northwestern University

Perseus Books Group Web Site, March, 2000

Perhaps because of it implications for our understanding of human nature, recent philosophy of biology has seen what might be the most dramatic work in the philosophies of the "special" sciences. This drama has centered on evolutionary theory, and in the second edition of this textbook, Elliott Sober introduces the reader to the most important issues of these developments. With a rare combination of technical sophistication and clarity of expression, Sober engages both the higher level of theory and the direct implications for such controversial issues as creationism, teleology, nature versus nurture, and sociobiology. Above all, the reader will gain from this book a firm grasp of the structure of evolutionary theory, the evidence for it, and the scope of its explanatory significance.

What Is Evolutionary Theory?
Creationism
Fitness
The Units of Selection Problem
Adaptionism
Systematics
Sociobiology and the Extension of Evolutionary Theory