Metaphysics and the Origin of Species (Suny Series in Philosophy and Biology)

Rating:
Summary: Stimulating and thought provoking philosophy of biology
Review: Ghiselin's new book brings together knowledge from the historical, philosophical, psychological, economical, and biological sciences which makes it unique, and it highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research. It is the sort of work that stimulates those of us interested in philosophy of science in general and philosophy of systematics in particular, but it also has the potential to open up the eyes of those not already familiar with the power of the individuality thesis. I highly recommend this book to everyone that is interested in theoretical systematics and its philosophy, and I'm sure it will provide the basis for much stimulating thought and discussion. This book should be used at both graduate and undergraduate courses so that, eventually, the strength of the individuality thesis will permeate all parts of biology and make biology the historical science that Darwin envisioned 150 years ago. For a more detailed review, see Harlin 1998, Zoologica Scripta 27: 87-88.