Contributing to Philosophical Biology

BioScience has this interesting article on the philosophy of biology.  Of particular note is the following list of suggestions for philosophers:

Suggestions for philosophers who want to contribute to philosophical biology

1. Justify engagement with philosophical biology by its capacity to improve biology. Do not justify engagement with a topic by pointing to its interest to philosophers, or by a generic appeal to interdisciplinarity, or by apparent thematic overlap.

2. Understand that conceptual analysis needs to make a difference to scientific reasoning and practice. The development and clarification of biological concepts is best when based upon actual biology as opposed to imaginary counterfactual scenarios and thought experiments (Hull 1989).

3. Attain at least the level of comprehension of biology possessed by a senior undergraduate major in biology.

4. Publish normative claims about biology in biology journals, not just in philosophy journals.

5. Attend and present work at biology conferences. Collaborate with biologists.

6. Ensure that articles or books about a philosophical issue in biology are reviewed by a biologist with relevant expertise.

7. Do not claim what author X means (without documentation), as in “what Smith really means here is ….” Accept potential ambiguity as a part of human communication.

8. Anchor a descriptive claim about biology in the actual practice of biology (De Regt and Dieks 2005). Engage with current biology and not just biological authorities from the past (e.g., Darwin).

9. Understand that claims by biologists need to be understood in their social and historical context in addition to their epistemic context.

10. Avoid appeals to authority of biologists just because they support POB as an endeavor. (p.6)

Cheers, 

Colin