Philosophy of Experimental Biology

Description

Exploring central philosophical issues concerning scientific research in modern experimental biology, this book clarifies the strategies, concepts, reasoning, approaches, tools, models and experimental systems deployed by researchers. It also integrates recent developments in historical scholarship, in particular, the New Experimentalism, making this work of interest to philosophers and historians of science as well as to biological researchers.

Marcel Weber is Privatdozent at the Center for Philosophy and Ethics of Science, University of Hannover, Germany.

'I feel that Weber's treatment will move the philosophical discussion well beyond Schaffner's original study ... strength of Weber lies in combining two ideals. First, his philosophical discussion is based on detailed case studies from biochemistry, molecular biology, developmental genetics, and neurophysiology. Second, despite close attention to actual science, Weber always keeps questions from the general philosophy of science clearly in view ... This is a very rich book, dealing with various issues - questions peculiar to experimental biology as well as basic topics from the general philosophy of science ... many of Weber's ideas will serve as a point of reference for future philosophical discussions on molecular biology. Philosophy of Experimental Biology ought to be important for anyone interested in the philosophy of biology.' Biology and Philosophy