The early history of chance in evolution |
| |
| Authors: | Charles H Pence |
| |
| Institution: | Louisiana State University, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, 102 Coates Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science, University of Leeds, G.10 Michael Sadler Building, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom;Philosophy Department, UGent, Blandijnberg 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;Mathematics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA;University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Department of Philosophy, Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science, 831 Heller Hall, 271 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0310, United States;Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute, Balliol College, Oxford, UK;Balliol College, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BJ, United Kingdom |
| |
| Abstract: | Work throughout the history and philosophy of biology frequently employs ‘chance’, ‘unpredictability’, ‘probability’, and many similar terms. One common way of understanding how these concepts were introduced in evolution focuses on two central issues: the first use of statistical methods in evolution (Galton), and the first use of the concept of “objective chance” in evolution (Wright). I argue that while this approach has merit, it fails to fully capture interesting philosophical reflections on the role of chance expounded by two of Galton's students, Karl Pearson and W.F.R. Weldon. Considering a question more familiar from contemporary philosophy of biology—the relationship between our statistical theories of evolution and the processes in the world those theories describe—is, I claim, a more fruitful way to approach both these two historical actors and the broader development of chance in evolution. |
| |
| Keywords: | Chance Charles Darwin Evolution Francis Galton Karl Pearson Natural selection |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
