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Published on: March 31, 2011
Integration without unification: an argument for pluralism in the biological sciences.
Sandra D Mitchell1, Michael R Dietrich
1Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA. smitchel@pitt.edu
The American Naturalist
|November 17, 2006
Summary
This study explores the balance between unifying and pluralistic approaches in biological theory. It argues for a specific type of pluralism that enables integrated explanations of complex biological phenomena without requiring large-scale unification.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Theoretical Biology
Background:
- Historical attempts at a unified understanding of evolution, such as the neo-Darwinian synthesis.
- The fragmentation of the evolutionary synthesis, particularly influenced by molecular evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the tension between unification and pluralism in biological theory.
- To propose a framework for integrating explanations in biology without necessitating broad unification.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of the neo-Darwinian synthesis.
- Conceptual analysis of unificationist and pluralist approaches in scientific theory.
Main Results:
- The neo-Darwinian synthesis, while aiming for unification, faced fragmentation due to new evidence.
- Molecular evolution highlighted limitations of a purely unificationist ideal in biology.
Conclusions:
- A large-scale unificationist ideal may not be suitable for all of biology.
- A nuanced form of pluralism can facilitate the integration of diverse biological explanations for complex phenomena.
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