Cited by 486Philosophy of Biology and Scientific ExplanationEvolution and Science EducationEvolution and Genetic Dynamics

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What Makes Biology Unique?: Considerations on the Autonomy of a Scientific Discipline

Mayr, Ernst·2004·Cambridge University Press eBooks

DOI 10.1017/cbo9780511617188

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Abstract

This book, a collection of essays written by the most eminent evolutionary biologist of the twentieth century, explores biology as an autonomous science, offers insights on the history of evolutionary thought, critiques the contributions of philosophy to the science of biology, and comments on several of the major ongoing issues in evolutionary theory. Notably, Mayr explains that Darwin's theory of evolution is actually five separate theories, each with its own history, trajectory and impact. Natural selection is a separate idea from common descent, and from geographic speciation, and so on. A number of the perennial Darwinian controversies may well have been caused by the confounding of the five separate theories into a single composite. Those interested in evolutionary theory, or the philosophy and history of science will find useful ideas in this book, which should appeal to virtually anyone with a broad curiosity about biology.

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“We have therefore been unable, so far, to conclude that both universe and life are contingent (Mayr, 2004).”
BackgroundInfluential

Authors: Mayr, E.
Affiliations: Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author: Mayr, Ernst
Venue: Cambridge University Press eBooks
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2004-08-09
DOI: 10.1017/cbo9780511617188
OpenAlex: W2889338382
Cited by: 486
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 18 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 14
FWCI: 57.45
Type: book
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 1949 d)
Locations: Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy of Biology and Scientific Explanation
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Evolution and Science Education
Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
Keywords: evolutionary theory, history of evolutionary theory, philosophy of biology, natural selection, common ancestry, allopatric speciation, Darwinian evolution, Ernst Mayr

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What Makes Biology Unique?: Considerations on the Autonomy of a Scientific Discipline

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