Holism and Reductionism in Biology and Ecology

Holism and Reductionism in Biology and Ecology
Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages : 362
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9789401595605
ISBN-13 : 9401595607
Rating : 4/5 (05 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Holism and Reductionism in Biology and Ecology by : Rick C. Looijen

Download or read book Holism and Reductionism in Biology and Ecology written by Rick C. Looijen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Holism and reductionism are traditionally seen as incompatible views or approaches to nature. Here Looijen argues that they should rather be seen as mutually dependent and hence co-operating research programmes. He sheds some interesting new light on the emergence thesis, its relation to the reduction thesis, and on the role and status of functional explanations in biology. He discusses several examples of reduction in both biology and ecology, showing the mutual dependence of holistic and reductionist research programmes. Ecologists are offered separate chapters, clarifying some major, yet highly and controversial ecological concepts, such as `community', `habitat', and `niche'. The book is the first in-depth study of the philosophy of ecology. Readership: Specialists in the philosophy of science, especially the philosophy of biology, biologists and ecologists interested in the philosophy of their discipline. Also of interest to other scientists concerned with the holism-reductionism issue.


Holism and Reductionism in Biology and Ecology Related Books