NDLI: Sober and Elgin on laws of biology: a critique

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	DesAutels, Lane
Copyright Year	2009
Abstract	In this short discussion note, I discuss whether any of the generalizations made in biology should be construed as laws. Specifically, I examine a strategy offered by Elliot Sober (1997) and supported by Mehmet Elgin (2006) to reformulate certain biological generalizations so as to eliminate their contingency, thereby allowing them to count as laws. I argue that this strategy entails a conception of laws that is unacceptable on two counts: (1) Sober and Elgin’s approach allows the possibility of formulating laws describing any biological phenomenon whatsoever; and (2) on Sober and Elgin’s view, any interesting contrast between so-called laws and obviously accidental generalizations collapses. I conclude by offering suggestions to refine their view in order to avoid these theoretical problems.
Starting Page	249
Ending Page	256
Page Count	8
File Format	PDF
ISSN	01693867
Journal	Biology & Philosophy
Volume Number	25
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	15728404
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2009-09-22
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Laws Biology Contingency Modal Force Evolutionary Biology Philosophy of Biology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Philosophy Agricultural and Biological Sciences History and Philosophy of Science

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Sober and Elgin on laws of biology: a critique