Book On rules 1 Jun 2009 My friend and colleague William Grey gave me a copy of F. M. Cornford’s Microcosmographia Academica, in which I read this passage which is so apposite to the modern day: The principle of Discipline (including Religion) is that ‘there must be some rules‘. If you inquire the reason, you will… Continue Reading
Administrative Ooh, cool! 23 Apr 2009 “Few topics have engaged biologists and philosophers more than the concept of species, and arguably no idea is more important for evolutionary science. John S. Wilkins’ book combines meticulous historical and philosophical analysis and thus provides new insights on the development of this most enduring of subjects.”—Joel Cracraft, American Museum… Continue Reading
Book A philosopher reviews a biologist on evolution 24 Mar 2009 Anthony Grayling, who does a really interesting review column in the Barnes and Noble Review, entitled “A Thinking Read”, has a piece on Jerry Coyne’s book Why Evolution is True. This saves me having to read it and review it for you myself. The column title is a pun on… Continue Reading
Book Book review: Freaks of Nature 3 Feb 2009 “Freaks of Nature: What Anomalies Tell Us About Development and Evolution” (Mark S. Blumberg) This book came to me well recommended, and as far as the content goes, I am very impressed. The writing style, however, and the intended audience, are at odds with each other. Continue Reading
Book Darwin worship, and demonisation 6 Jan 2009 I make no secret that I admire Darwin as a historical figure very much, but I recently submitted a paper for an open access journal for science teachers at secondary level named Resonance, entitled “Not Saint Darwin”. I was motivated by some of the rather uncritical, unhistorical and unnecessary examples… Continue Reading
Administrative Five-fiftysix meme 1 Dec 2008 New: Solutions listed Mike Dunford, who is still trying to get me to pay for that time he put me up in Hawaii when his wife was on active service in Iraq (if I knew what I’d have to pay, both in climbing horrific rainforested slopes to release wallabies, and… Continue Reading
Administrative A mild apology 29 Nov 2008 I haven’t done much philosophical blogging lately. There are Reasons. I’m preparing to move to Sydney over the next few months (and there may be a period in which I have no laptop too), and trying to catch up on a bunch of projects I have in play and which… Continue Reading
Book Darwin as a historiographer 9 Nov 200818 Sep 2017 I was very pleased to receive today my copy of this book: A Companion to the Philosophy of History and Historiography, edited by A. Tucker. Chichester UK: Wiley-Blackwell. I got it because on pp 405-415 is my essay “Darwin”, which I am rather proud of. I have long thought that… Continue Reading
Book My book is out the door 2 Oct 2008 Today I finalised my manuscript, printed it out, annotated it, made sure all the figures were there, that they had the least ugly photos of me, burned the CD, and ticked all the boxes. Tomorrow, Species: A history of the idea physically travels to University of California Press, where they… Continue Reading