The Philosophy of Ecology: From Science to SynthesisDavid R. Keller, Frank B. Golley This is the first introductory anthology on the philosophy of ecology edited by an ecologist and a philosopher. It illustrates the range of philosophical approaches available to ecologists and provides a basis for understanding the thinking on which many of today's environmental ideas are founded. Collectively, these seminal readings make a powerful statement on the value of ecological knowledge and thinking in alleviating the many problems of modern industrial civilization. Issues covered include:
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Contents
Ecology as a Science of Synthesis | 1 |
Henry A Gleason The Individualistic Concept of | 42 |
An Ecological Metaphysic | 81 |
PART TWO Community Niche Diversity and Stability | 101 |
Karl Möbius An Oyster Bank Is a Biocönose or | 111 |
Ecological Communities | 124 |
PART THREE Rationalism and Empiricism | 133 |
Two Theories | 141 |
An Oxymoron or | 204 |
Richard Levins and Richard C Lewontin Dialectics and Reductionism | 218 |
Perspectives | 226 |
PART FIVE Ecology and Evolution | 233 |
David L Hull The Metaphysics of Evolution | 247 |
Stephen J Gould and Richard C Lewontin The Spandrels | 263 |
Ernst Mayr How to Carry Out the Adaptationist Program? | 277 |
James P Collins Evolutionary Ecology and the Use of Natural Selection | 288 |
Other editions - View all
The Philosophy of Ecology: From Science to Synthesis David R. Keller,Frank B. Golley Limited preview - 2000 |
The Philosophy of Ecology: From Science to Synthesis David R. Keller,Frank B. Golley No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
adaptation adaptationist program analysis animals approach argued argument Aristotle associated autocatalysis behavior biological biologists biotic community Buffon causal cause Clements climax community ecology competition complex components concept constraints Darwin diversity dynamic E. P. Odum ecological theory ecologists ecosystem ecosystem models ecotope effect emergent properties entities environment environmental essence evolution evolutionary ecology evolutionary theory evolutionists example existence explain factors formal function genetic genotype Gould and Lewontin habitat herbivores holism holons human hypothesis individual organisms integration interactions laws logic mathematical mechanisms mechanistic metaphysics method methodology models natural selection Newtonian niche nominalist nonnested observation paradigm parameters patterns phenomena phenotype philosophical physical plant population ecology possible predators predictions principle problem propensities question reduced reductionism reductionist reproduced result scientists sense species Spotted Owl stability structure succession superorganism systems ecology theoretical tion traits trophic Ulanowicz variables variation vegetation whole