Influence of Genetics on Contemporary Thinking

From the reviews: "This ambitious book aims to survey the influence of genetics and molecular biology on contemporary thought quite generally. [...] Highlights of the first section include an excellent introduction to what genetics has taught us about human origins by Francisco Ayala and his group of Spanish collaborators. [...] The section devoted to philosophy of science is particularly strong." Paul Griffiths, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia in Metascience "Organized in three main sections: 'Genetics and the Life Sciences'; 'Genetics and the Philosophy of Science: The Reductionism Debate and Beyond'; and 'Genetics and the Ethical, Legal and Sociological Debate', these contributions are more informative about what other disciplines have to say about genetics ... . those who keep reading will be rewarded. When judged upon their merit as stand-alone pieces ... the chapters are highly stimulating." (Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, Vol. 11 (3), 2008)

• Preface.- Introduction.- Overview of Contents.- An Historical Outline and Further Reading.- The Editors.- Interview with François Jacob; Anne Fagot-Largeault.- Genetics and the Life Sciences.- Genetics and the Human Lineage: Can Genetics Throw Some Light on the Evolution of the Human Lineage?; Francisco José Ayala, Miguel Ángel Capó, Camilo José Cela-Conde and Marcos Nadal.- Genetics and Neuroscience. Some Examples of their Recent Convergence and of the Continuing Nature-Nurture Controversy, With Emphasis on Sleep Physiology; Claude Debru.- Who Made the Genetic Code, How and By What?; Koichiro Matsuno.- Genetics, Life and Death: Genetics as Providing a Definition of Life and Death; Michel Morange.- Genetics and Philosophy of Science: The Reductionism Debate and Beyond.- Moving Beyond the Influence of Molecular Genetics on the Debate about Reductionism in Philosophy of Biology; Frederic Bouchard.- The concept of Gene in Contemporary Biology: Continuity or Dissolution?; Jean Gayón.- The Influence of Genetics on Philosophy of Science: Classical Genetics and the Structuralist View of Theories; Pablo Lorenzano.- Epi-Geneticization: Where Biological and Philosophical Thinking Meet; Linda Van Speybroeck, Gertrudis Van de Vijver and Dani De Waele.- Genetics and the Ethical, Legal and Sociological Debate.- Is DNA Revolutionizing Medicine?; Anne Fagot-Largeault.- The Harm to be a Clone; Jean-Yves Goffi.- Children of One’s Own: Parenthood and the Illusion of Control; Jonathan Michael Kaplan.- Is a Transcultural Law for Human Genetics and Biotechnology Possible?; Carlos María Romeo-Casabona.- Genetics and Society: A Different View; Juan Manuel Torres.- Name Index.- Subject Index.