Pence, Charles H. (2020) Causal Composition in Evolutionary Theory. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I argue here that the debate over the causal status of natural selection, genetic drift, and fitness has foundered on an unrecognized issue in the metaphysics of science. Many parts of this debate rely, tacitly or explicitly, on a solution to what I will call "the causal composition question" – defining the circumstances in which micro-level causes compose to produce a macro-level causal process. Further, evolutionary biology constitutes a particularly poor environment in which to study this general question regarding causation. I thus claim that this is a place where we must foster engagement between philosophers of biology and metaphysicians of science.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Pence, Charles H. charles@charlespence.net
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Depositing User:	Charles H. Pence
Date Deposited:	22 Dec 2020 22:28
Last Modified:	22 Dec 2020 22:28
Item ID:	18533
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Date:	16 August 2020
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/18533

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