Category Archives: Biology

by | March 3, 2012

Plantinga’s EAAN revisited

Blogs are places where one tosses out a hastily constructed piece of argument, or commentary, and not where one slowly and thoughtfully writes something that one will eventually earn an income from (unless you are PZ Myers). So when I … Continue reading →

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

by | February 7, 2012

Did Popper and Quine invent “Aristotelian essentialism”?

There are many narratives told about evolution. One of the most widely told is the Essentialism Story, replayed in textbook, popular storytelling and philosophy alike. It goes like this: Before Darwin, biologists were constrained by essentialist thinking, in which they … Continue reading →

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Filed under Biology, Evolution, History, Logic and philosophy, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Science, Species and systematics, Species concept, Systematics

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 →

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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