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 "Nevertheless, this new anthology is a useful addition to the existing collection of building blocks from which introductory courses in philosophy of biology are constructed." ( Acta Biotheor , 1 June 2013) " Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology has selections that make it easy to teach evolutionary theory, clear up common misconceptions, and introduce students to genuinely important philosophical problems." ( Science & Education , 2010) "This excellent anthology covers a wide range of biological disciplines and controversies. It demonstrates the great value of reflective philosophical analysis in interpreting biology and its claims about human nature. It is ideal for use in introductory courses in philosophy of biology." ― Richard Burian, Virginia Tech " Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology is a splendid collection of papers dedicated to the current issues in the philosophy of biology. The book is organized around twelve major topics, with at least two papers for each topic, expressing contrasting views as appropriate, and all written by leading experts. This book will serve well as a text for courses in the philosophy of biology, and as supplementary reading in philosophy of science and other classes." ― Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine Rapid biological advances and new standards of philosophical rigor are casting age-old questions about the nature and methodology of the biological sciences in a dramatic new light. Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology offers a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of the field’s most significant works. The text is organized to provide readers at all levels with a thorough grounding in the general history, philosophy, and science behind debates that remain at the heart of the philosophy of biology. Addressing the field’s central issues, sections draw on works relating to Darwinism and its influence on the biological sciences, evolution and chance, the unit of selection debate, adaptationism, evolutionary psychology, and the burgeoning science of evolutionary developmental biology, to name just a few. Editors’ introductions and further reading material throughout the text – combined with the readings themselves – provide novices with a solid basis on which to pursue further research in philosophy of biology. Comprehensive in scope, Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology offers readers an accessible gateway into a field of study that holds the most crucial insights and implications into our understanding of the nature and methodology of the biological sciences. Rapid biological advances and new standards of philosophical rigor are casting age-old questions about the nature and methodology of the biological sciences in a dramatic new light. Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology offers a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of the field’s most significant works. The text is organized to provide readers at all levels with a thorough grounding in the general history, philosophy, and science behind debates that remain at the heart of the philosophy of biology. Addressing the field’s central issues, sections draw on works relating to Darwinism and its influence on the biological sciences, evolution and chance, the unit of selection debate, adaptationism, evolutionary psychology, and the burgeoning science of evolutionary developmental biology, to name just a few. Editors’ introductions and further reading material throughout the text – combined with the readings themselves – provide novices with a solid basis on which to pursue further research in philosophy of biology. Comprehensive in scope, Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology offers readers an accessible gateway into a field of study that holds the most crucial insights and implications into our understanding of the nature and methodology of the biological sciences. Alex Rosenberg is the R. Taylor Cole Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Philosophy of Biology at Duke University. He has published 11 books on the philosophy of science including The Philosophy of Biology: A Contemporary Introduction (2007) with Daniel McShea. In 1993, he won the Lakatos Prize in the Philosophy of Science and in 2007 was the National P