JuniorTutorial:
TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY
(Function, Design and Life)
Bechtel Room Emerson Hall 107, TH 1-2:30 p.m.
Luca Ferrero
Emerson 102
Office Hour: TH 11-12 or by appointment
phone: 495 4669
web page: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~ferrero/tut-biology-00.html
Calendar
| Feb 17 | --FUNCTION
& DESIGN--
(Background reading: Von Wright "Explanation and Understanding", Ch. 1 R) L. Wright, "Functions", Philosophical Review (1973) 82:139-168. J,
NP
|
| Feb 24 | R.
Millikan, "In Defence of Proper Functions", R, NP
J. Bigelow and R. Pargetter "Functions", Journal of Philosophy (1987)
86:81-96. Sections VI and VII only. J, NP
|
| Mar 2 | D. Dennett, "The Interpretation of Texts, People and Other Artifacts", Philosophy and phenomenological research (1990) 50, supplement:177-194. J |
| Mar 9 | S.J.
Gould and R.C. Lewontin "The Sprandels of San Marco and the Panglossian
Paradigm: A critique of the Adaptationist Programme", R
D. Dennett, "The Leibnizian Paradigm", R First paper topic distributed
|
| Mar 16 | R.
Dawkins, "Universal Darwinism", R
E. Sober, Philosophy of Biology, Ch. 2 "Creationism", R First 5-page paper due in class
|
| Mar 23 | --TELEOLOGY--
E. Nagel "Teleology Revisited", Journal of Philosophy (1977) 76:261-301.
J,
NP
|
| Mar 30 | SPRING BREAK |
| Apr 6 | M.
Bedau, "The Good in Teleology", Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
(1992) 52:781-805. J, NP
Second paper topic distributed
|
| Apr 13 | A.
Collins, "Action, Causality and Teleological Explanation", R
Second 5-page paper due in class
|
| Apr 20 | --LIFE-- Varela, F."Organism: A meshwork
of selfless selves"R Sousa, R."Time and Individuality
in Artificial Life"R |
| Apr 27 | M.
Thompson, "The Representation of Life", R
Third paper topic distributed
|
| May 4 | Artificial Life. Emmeche, Claus. The garden in the machine. Ch. 1-2, pp. 3-46 |
| May 5 | Last
day of classes
Third 5 pages paper due by 5.00 p.m. in my mailbox |
Readings marked with R are available for xeroxing on the reserve shelf in Robbins Library.
Readings marked with J are available on JSTOR at http://hplus.harvard.edu/ejournals/
Readings marked with NP are also collected in Collen A, Bekoff M. and Lauder G. Nature's Purposes. MIT Press.
Grading and Extension Policy
Each paper counts for 20% of the final grade, participation 40%
A late paper will be marked down 1/3 of a grade for every day it is late.
A 2 days advance notice and a good reason are required for extensions.
No extension can be granted on the final paper.