Biological Complexity and Integrative Pluralism

This fine collection of essays by a leading philosopher of science presents a defence of integrative pluralism as the best description for the complexity of scientific inquiry today. The tendency of some scientists to unify science by reducing all theories to a few fundamental laws of the most basic particles that populate our universe is ill-suited to the biological sciences, which study multi-component, multi-level, evolved complex systems. This integrative pluralism is the most efficient way to understand the different and complex processes - historical and interactive - that generate biological phenomena. This book will be of interest to students and professionals in the philosophy of science.

• A collection of essays by a leading philosopher of science • Puts forward the theory of integrative pluralism as the best explanation for the complexity of biological systems

1. Introduction; Part I. Complexity: 2. Constitutive complexity; 3. Dynamic complexity; 4. Evolved diversity; Part II. Pluralism: 5. Laws; 6. Pluralism or disunity.