Category Archives: Evolution

by | January 31, 2012

Plantinga’s EAAN

A post now up at the Philosopher’s Carnival discusses Alvin Plantinga’s Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (EAAN), and comment how it is like (not exactly the same) as a global skepticism argument being self-defeating. Plantinga’s argument goes like this: P1. If … Continue reading →

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Filed under Epistemology, Evolution, Logic and philosophy, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Religion, Science

by | January 21, 2012

A logical inference, or, on how to submit Carnival of Evolution posts

I could put this into standard logical form, or even argument map it, but I’m too lazy. However, since I’ll be hosting one of these soon, I should post this the way Bjørn Østman sent it to me: Carnival of … Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Administrative, Evolution

by | January 18, 2012

The Shandyan dilemma

Reginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe detective series among many others, has died. This is a partial post I started some time back, so I thought I’d post it as is. In Recalled to Life, Reginald Hill has … Continue reading →

18 Comments

Filed under Evolution, History, Philosophy, Social evolution

by | January 15, 2012

Notes on Novelty 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo

Notes on Novelty series: 1. Introduction 2. Historical considerations – before and after evolution 3: The meaning of evolutionary novelty 4: Examples – the beetle’s horns and the turtle’s shell 5: Evolutionary radiations and individuation 6: Levels of description 7: Surprise! 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo … Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Epistemology, Evolution, General Science, Logic and philosophy, Metaphysics, Natural Classification, Philosophy, Science, Species and systematics, Truisms

by | January 14, 2012

Notes on novelty 7: Surprise!

Notes on Novelty series: 1. Introduction 2. Historical considerations – before and after evolution 3: The meaning of evolutionary novelty 4: Examples – the beetle’s horns and the turtle’s shell 5: Evolutionary radiations and individuation 6: Levels of description 7: Surprise! 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo … Continue reading →

8 Comments

Filed under Cognition, Epistemology, Evolution, Logic and philosophy, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Science

by | January 13, 2012

Size matters

As always, click on the image to go see the entire Tony Piro goodness

2 Comments

Filed under Evolution, Humor

by | January 13, 2012

Sherlock Cumberbatch on Evolutionary Psychology

As always, click on the image to go see the entire Jonathon Rosenberg goodness

3 Comments

Filed under Evolution, Humor

by | January 12, 2012

Evolution quotes: Quetelet on populations

Populations arise imperceptibly; it is only when they have reached a certain degree of development that we begin to think of their existence. This increase is more or less rapid, and it proceeds either from an excess of births over … Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Evolution, History, Quotes

by | January 8, 2012

The difference between population concepts and “population thinking”

The late Ernst Mayr is remembered for many things, but a number of his historical and philosophical claims are unravelling. The very clever and perspicacious Rutgers geneticist, Jody Hey, has published a paper in the Quarterly Review of Biology on … Continue reading →

11 Comments

Filed under Biology, Evolution, History, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Science, Species concept

by | January 7, 2012

Notes on novelty 6: Levels of description

Notes on Novelty series: 1. Introduction 2. Historical considerations – before and after evolution 3: The meaning of evolutionary novelty 4: Examples – the beetle’s horns and the turtle’s shell 5: Evolutionary radiations and individuation 6: Levels of description 7: Surprise! 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo … Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Epistemology, Evolution, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Science