Life after Newton: an ecological metaphysic

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Philosophy of Science
• Systems Theory

Background:

• Ecological understanding is often hindered by a conflict with the principles of the modern synthesis.
• Key disagreements exist between Newtonian mechanics and the organicist/stochastic models used in ecosystems science.
• The concept of causal closure in a mechanical worldview limits evolutionary epistemology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the philosophical underpinnings of ecological science.
• To re-evaluate the compatibility of Newtonian physics with ecological processes.
• To propose a revised framework for understanding ecological causality and change.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of scientific worldviews (Newtonian vs. organicist/stochastic).
• Philosophical examination of causality, force, and contingency in nature.
• Conceptual reformulation of scientific laws for ecological application.

Main Results:

• Newtonian axioms present significant discord with ecological principles, particularly concerning causality and scale.
• Karl Popper's concept of 'propensity' offers a way to generalize Newtonian 'force' for evolutionary and ecological contexts.
• A revised framework, incorporating internal system dynamics, better accommodates ecological change.

Conclusions:

• Traditional Newtonian axioms, particularly those from the Enlightenment, are ill-suited for modern ecology.
• A new set of assumptions is needed to coherently describe natural processes in ecology.
• Generalizing Newtonian laws with concepts like 'propensity' can create a more robust ecological metaphysic.