Darwinism and Philosophy

Vittorio Hösle is Paul G. Kimball Chair of Arts and Letters in the Department of German Languages & Literatures, concurrent professor of philosophy, and concurrent professor of government and international studies at the University of Notre Dame.Christian Illies is university lecturer, Technical University Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

"Darwinism & Philosophyis a highly diverse and very interesting collection of essays on the philosophical implications of Darwinism.... The authors explore, in a variety of ways, what Darwin's dangerous idea (Daniel Dennett) entails for doing philosophy. The book is unique not only because it is the first in its kind to offer such a wide ranging account of the influence of Darwinism on philosophy. There are three more reasons that make it a truly exceptional enterprise. First, it offers contributions by both philosophers and scientists. Second, it presents not only systematic analyses but also historical expositions. And third —and most gratifying in my opinion -- it has taken the opportunity to include some highly distinguished 'continental' philosophers in its list of contributors. ...this book represents a state of the art assessment of the implications of Darwinism for the philosophical enterprise." —Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"The editors of Darwinism & Philosophy hope this collection of essays will 'start a new and more comprehensive discussion about the philosophical implications of Darwinism.' They invited scientists and philosophers to discuss both historical and systematic issues. Some of the recurring topics include: What nonempirical assumptions does Darwinism make? Can they be justified? Does Darwinism make problematic the definition of 'truth?' Can epistemology transcend relativism? How is evolution's novelty related to 'progress?'"—Religious Studies Review" . . . anyone interested in metaphysics and philosophy of science would find this book pleasing. The never satisfied human curiosity about being and the origin of life finds intriguing and stimulating questions and answers in this exceptional and well-organized volume." —Dialogue". . . a significant contribution to a timely problem. Attacks on Darwinian biology are still being launched by fundamentalist religion, and while it is not difficult to dismiss the naïve arguments of creationism and intelligent design theory, it is a more serious matter to delineate the compatibilities and incompatibilities of a scientific, mechanistic, naturalistic view of life and humans for more sophisticated metaphysical stances. This volume sheds new light on these harder questions." —ISIS" . . . a must-have entry in the library of any scientist or philosopher who is interested in this important bridge between the two cultures." —The Quarterly Review of Biology"The editors—both very philosophically savvy—contributed two of the essays and provide helpful introductions to different aspects of the inquiry. The writing is accessible . . . and given the current media coverage of evolutionism, creationism, and intelligent design, this book [will] appeal to a wide audience." —Library Journal"...an inherently fascinating series of essays by knowledgeable scholars on the significant and continuing philosophical potential of Charles Darwin's principles of evolutionary biology. ...a seminal body of work that is an essential contribution to the fields of Evolutionary Studies and Philosophy." —The Midwest Book Review"Darwinism and Philosophy explores the philosophical implications of the theory of evolution in a broad sense. First, it examines the metaphysical presuppositions of evolutionary theory . . . Second, it explores the relationship between naturalism and Darwinism . . . Finally, contributors consider the epistemological and moral consequences of the theory, including discussions of genetics and agency, sociobiology and ethics, and evolutionary epistemology . . . Recommended." —Choice"This is a volume that will be of considerable interest to a number of scholarly communities as well as general readers. There are very few books like it and none as accessible as this one." —Paul Farber, Oregon State University