Phil 3334: Philosophy of Biology

Fall 2006

 

 

 

Instructor:  Sungsu Kim                              Telephone: 742-0373 (ext. 332)

Office:  265B Philosophy                              Email: sungsu.kim@ttu.edu

Office hours: TR 10:30-10:50, 1:50-3:00 (but I can meet at other times; please ask.)

 

 

Textbook:       David Hume, Dialogue Concerning Natural Religion, Penguin.

Elliott Sober, Philosophy of Biology, Westview

 

 

General Course Information

 

This course is designed to acquaint students with the central issues in contemporary philosophy of biology and, in particular, philosophical questions that arise from reflection on Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.  We’ll begin with the debate between evolutionism and creationism.  Then we’ll discuss questions concerning fitness, the units of selection, adaptationism, systematics, and socio-biology and evolutionary ethics.  We’ll also consider such questions as the following:  Are there laws in biology?  Is biology reducible to physics?  Finally, insofar as Darwin’s arguments for natural selection provide us with a paradigm of scientific reasoning, we can examine these arguments to understand better the role of concepts like evidence and justification in science—how are probability concepts to be understood in evolutionary theory?  We will read works written by scientists such as Darwin, Dawkins, Gould, Lewontin, Maynard Smith, Ridley, Williams, and Wilson.  Philosophical works will be authors such as Eells, Dennett, Hacking, Hume, Kitcher, Paley, Ruse, Sober, and Wilson.

    

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to

 

  • Analyze philosophical claims and articles.
  • Communicate complex thoughts in a clear manner.
  • Articulate and defend their views with logical rigor.
  • Develop the ability to write clearly about issues
  • Understand issues related to “Darwinian theory of evolution”

 

These expected learning outcomes for the course will be assessed through essays, exam, comment and discussion of essay draft, and class discussions.

 

 

 

 

 

Requirements:

 

1.  Attendance to lecture is mandatory.  If you must miss a class for reasons other than religious observance or illness, please notify me in advance. 

 

2. Every other week, you must turn in a critical discussion/ “summary” of the current week’s reading assignments or a response to study questions the instructor will provide.  This counts 25% of your final grade.  Assignments will usually be given in lecture, due in lecture the following Tuesdays.

 

3.  There will be one in-class exam, which accounts 25% of your final grade.

 

4.  There will be two writing assignments (around 5 pages).  Each counts 25% of your final grade. 

 

You’re encouraged to discuss drafts of your essay with your instructor for revision before submitting your essays.

 

Note:  Assignments, including essays, are to be submitted in word-processed form. 

 

 

Late Homework and Make-up Exam: Assignment turned in late will not be accepted, and there will be no make-up exam (see 3 in “Important Notes”).

 

Extra-Credit:  There will no extra-credit for this course.                                                          

 

Grade

 

A: 90-100

B: 80-89

C: 70-79

D: 60-69

 

According to OP34.12, “The grade of I is given only when a student's work is satisfactory in quality but, due to reasons beyond his or her control, has not been completed. It is not given in lieu of an F or W.”

 

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in the class.

 

For TTU policy/procedure regarding grading, check the following website:

www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.12.pdf

 

 

 

 

Important Notes

 

 

1. Academic Integrity: Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated in the class.  If a student is found guilty of either, s/he will definitely fail the assignment/test and very possibly the entire class.  If you have doubts about what constitutes cheating or plagiarism talk with me.  If you are found guilty, the fact that you never consulted with me about what constitutes cheating or plagiarism will not be a mitigating factor.  If you are stuck on an assignment, rather than cheat, come to see me.  I’ll help you do your own assignment.

 

For TTU policy/procedure regarding academic integrity, check the following website:

www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.12.pdf

 

2. Special Needs: If you have special requirements let me know as soon as possible and I will do my best to work with you to make all necessary arrangements. 

 

Disability status is confidential and should be discussed in private with the instructor once you have done the appropriate AccessTECH verification procedures.  For AccessTECH, check the following website: www.accesstech.dsa.ttu.edu

 

3. Observance of a Religious Holy Day

 

You will be excused from attending classes or taking exams, for the observance of a religious holy day.  Although no prior notification of the instructor is required, your advanced notification will be appreciated.

 

4. Problems or Complaints: If you have problems, complaints or difficulties with any aspect of the class, do not hesitate to talk with me about it.

 

Check also the following website: www.depts.ttu.edu/ombudsman

 

 

Important Dates

 

August 31 (R): Last day for student-initiated add on the Web

September 13 (W): Last day for student-initiated drop on the Web       

September 13 (W): Last day to drop and receive a refund

September 25 (M): Last day to drop with a partial refund

September 28 (R): First Essay (tentative)

October 26 (R): Second Essay (tentative)

October 30 (M): Last day to drop a course

November 28 (T): Third Exam (Tentative)

 

 

 

 

Schedule of Readings

 

A PreDarwinian Critique of the Design Argument

            Week 1-2:  Hume

 

Design versus Evolution by Natural Selection

            Week 3:  Paley, 1-13 (CP)

 

            Week 4:  Sober, Ch. 1-2 (PB); Gould, 14-18 (CP); Dawkins, 19-23 (CP)

 

Probability and Bayesianism

            Week 5:  Sober, “Introduction to Bayesian Epistemology” (CP)

                           Eells, “Probability” (CP)

 

Fitness

            Week 6: Sober, Ch 3 (PB)

 

Unit of Selection

Week 7-8:  Sober, Ch. 4 (PB); Williams, 24-44 (CP); Dawkins, 45-54 (CP);

                   Gould, 55-59 (CP)

 

Adaptationism

            Week 9: Sober, Ch. 5 (PB); Gould and Lewontin, 60-76 (CP);

                          Dennett, 77-83 (CP)

 

Systematics

            Week 10-11: Sober, Ch. 6 (PB); Sober, “Parsimony” (CP)

 

Sociobiology and Evolutionary Ethics

            Week 12-13: Sober Ch. 7 (PB), Wilson, 84-96 (CP); Kitcher, 97-108 (CP)

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Numbers after authors’ names for each week’s reading assignment refer to the page numbers of the course packet.