Florida International University

Department of Philosophy

 

PHI 3454 (1): PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY

GC 287a (12:30-1:45)

Dr. Sean Allen-Hermanson

Email: hermanso@fiu.edu

Office: DM 344A

Office hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2-4 p.m.

 

Course Description

This course is an introduction to some philosophical controversies pertaining to the evolution of living things.  We will focus on three kinds of philosophical problems raised by the theory of evolution: (1) external challenges to the theory of evolution from creationism and "intelligent design," (2) internal disputes about key evolutionary concepts (such as: fitness, adaptation, the "units" of selection, and biological function), (3) the application of evolutionary thinking to traditional philosophical debates about human nature, the mind, culture, knowledge, and morality.

 

Required Texts

Sober, E. (1999). Philosophy of Biology (2nd). Westview Press.

Sober, E. (2007). Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology (3rd).  MIT Press.

(Supplementary readings are on Moodle)

 

Evaluation

¥              Weekly study questions: The purpose of these assignments is to help you keep up with the readings and key terms, concepts, issues, and arguments. 

¥              There are ten assignments, though only FIVE will be graded (at 4% each).  Your answers must be typed and email submissions are not acceptable. 

¥              Participation: includes both being present for the whole class and contributing to class discussion.

¥              Tests: these will be held on Feb. 2, Mar. 8 & Apr. 24.

¥              Critical Essay: The purpose of the essay is for you to develop a considered position about some issue raised in the course and to strengthen critical skills of analysis and clear writing.  Due date: Thursday April 20.

 

Grading

Participation:               10%

Reading assignments: 20%

First test:                     15% (Feb. 2)

Second test:                15% (Mar. 8)

Paper abstract:            5% (Due Feb. 16)

Final paper:                 20% (Apr. 20)

Final exam:                 15% (Apr. 24, 12-2 in Ziff 150)

 

Reading Assignments: You need to complete ANY FIVE assignments (a total of ten will be assigned over the term).  These will be graded at 4% each (so the five you complete contribute 20% towards your final grade).  Your answers must be typed and email submissions are not acceptable. 

 

Nota Bene:

 

1.         Readings not in the assigned texts will be posted on Moodle (or occasionally locatable by google search).

2.          Lateness Penalty: An assignment received later than the due date will be penalized.  Exceptions to the lateness penalty for valid reasons such as illness, compassionate grounds, etc., will only be entertained if supporting documentation is provided (e.g. a doctorÕs note).

3.          Attendance: I periodically take attendance at the beginning or end of class.  For every class missed (or in which you fail to sign in because you arrived too late, or left early), I will deduct 2% from your final grade.

4.          Extra credit: there are no opportunities for extra credit, so give your assigned work with the respect it deserves.

5.          Email: ONLY use the email address on this syllabus for your correspondence with me (hermanso@fiu.edu). 

6.          Keep your returned assignments: It is your responsibility to hold onto them until the course has ended.

7.          Test dates: I will not allow alternate dates for tests, for any reason, save for a life-emergency supported by appropriate documentation (e.g. planning a vacation during the semester is ill-advised).  A missed test that was not the result of a verified life-emergency will receive no grade and there will be no make-up.

8.          You must submit a HARD COPY of your essays (no cover page, no fancy binding, stapled, numbered, double-spaced, and with a bibliography).  Email submissions are not allowed. 

9.          Blue books: you need 2 blue books for your tests.

10.    Texts: You must obtain both copies of the required texts within the first week of classes.  I may ask you to bring your books to class or suffer a grade penalty.

11.   The use of computers & mobile phones is not permitted.

12.   Students taking this class are presumed to have read and understood their obligations.

 

Topic Schedule

 

CIEB = Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology

Sober = Philosophy of Biology

 

Date

Topic

Reading

Assignment

Jan. 10

Preliminaries

 

 

Jan. 12

What is Life?

ÒLifeÓ The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (google)

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life/#3,

Sober: Introduction

 

Jan. 17

Evolutionary Theory

Sober: Ch.1, Judson (Moodle)

1st report due Jan. 17

Jan. 19, 24

 

Creationism

Sober: Ch.2, Behe http://www.arn.org/docs/behe/mb_mm92496.htm (also see Òreply to my criticsÓ on Moodle)

2nd report due Jan. 19

Jan. 26, 31

Intelligent Design

Draper, Orr (Moodle), Blackburn ÒAn unbeautiful mindÓ TNR online

 

Feb. 2

 

 

FIRST TEST

Feb. 7, 9

Fitness

Sober: Ch.3 up to 3.6, Mills & Beatty (CIEB 1); Recommended: CIEB 2.

3rd report due Feb. 7

Feb. 14, 16

Teleology & Functions

Sober, Ch.3.7, De Sousa (Òif we have sex do we have to die?Ó on Moodle); suggested: Òteleological notions in biologyÓ (from the SEP).

4th report due Feb. 14, PAPER ABSTRACT DUE Feb. 16

Feb. 21, 23

Units of Selection

Sober: Ch.4, David Sloan Wilson (CIEB 4).  Recommended: de Sousa ÒGroupiesÓ (google) &

http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/~barrylab/lizardland/

male_lizards.overview.html

5th report due Feb. 21

Feb. 28, Mar. 1

Adaptationism

Sober: Ch.5, Gould and Lewontin (CIEB 5)

6th report due Feb. 28

Mar. 6

Species & Systematics

Sober: Ch.6, Mayr (CIEB 16), Sober (CIEB 17)

7th report due Mar. 6

Mar. 8

 

 

SECOND TEST

Mar. 13, 15

SPRING BREAK

 

 

Mar. 20, 22

Genetic Enhancement & Cloning

Sober 7.1 & Glover, Gordon, Kass, Gillon (Moodle)

8th report due Mar. 20

Mar. 27, 29

Sociobiology

Sober Ch.7.2-4, Wilson, Hagen (Moodle)

9th report due Mar. 27

Apr. 3, 5

Evolutionary Psychology

CIEB 9, 10 Buller (Moodle)

 

Apr. 10, 12

Evolutionary Ethics

Ruse and Wilson (CIEB 26), Kitcher (CIEB 27)

10th report due Apr. 10

 

Apr. 16, 19

Cultural Evolution

Sober 7.5 & CIEB 25, Allen-Hermanson ÒSuicide BombersÓ (Moodle)

Term paper due Apr. 19 in class

 

Grading Scheme

 

A

90 - 100

A-

80 - 89

B+

77 - 79

B

73 - 76

B-

70 - 72

C+

67 - 69

C

63 - 66

C-

60 - 62

D+

57 - 59

D

53 - 56

D-

50 - 52

F

< 50

 

FIUÕs policy on plagiarism:

 

Plagiarism is a an academic misconduct and defined as the deliberate use and appropriation of anotherÕs works without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the studentÕs own. Any student who fails to give credit for the ideas, expressions or materials taken from another source, including internet sources, is guilty of plagiarism.


 

Examples include: Term papers acquired online or from other sources; Copying of original material without attribution; Use of other studentsÕ work; Copying and pasting, verbatim, information from Internet sources, without quotation marks and correct citation.

 

N.b. ÒRecyclingÓ work submitted for other courses is prohibited.