The Edges and Boundaries of Biological Objects

生物物体的边缘和边界

• 批准号: 0724201
• 负责人: Matthew Haber
• 金额: $ 2.5万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-08-01 至 2009-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0724201&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Edges; Boundaries; Biological; Objects

This workshop centers around the idea that delimiting biological objects cannot be determined by empirical facts alone; which facts are salient depend on theoretical and conceptual context. Bringing together philosophers and biologists working on these conceptual issues, discussion will focus on particular cases drawn from a wide range of the biological hierarchy.Intellectual Merit. By highlighting conceptual problems that are common across different fields of biology and philosophy, researchers will be encouraged to apply approaches and conceptual frameworks common in one field to analogous problems in other fields. In using actual case studies to achieve this goal, a new hybrid approach to philosophical and conceptual work in philosophy will be generated. In addition to the growing list of speakers covering a wide range of research areas in both biology and philosophy of biology, the workshop dovetails with the research interests of the primary co-organizers. Both Odenbaugh and Haber's research interests involve issues concerning the ontological status of biological objects. Odenbaugh's research involves conceptual issues in ecology, and he is currently concerned with delimiting ecosystems and other ecological kinds. Haber is working on issues in systematics, including drawing a distinction between ambiguity and uncertainty in taxonomic reference, and how either may affect taxonomic stability. The University of Utah has offered strong institutional support for this project, and an enthusiastic set of speakers have already informally committed to participate.BROADER IMPACTS This workshop is organized around a diversity of actual biological cases. Each case will receive comments from at least one philosopher and one biologist. In addition to creating new partnerships and enhancing existing networks between like-minded researchers from a range of disciplines, the workshop will extend its impact through publication of the case studies, commentaries, and ensuing discussions. These proceedings will be published as a special issue of a journal, with accompanying web material available for consumption (e.g., podcasts of discussion following commentaries on cases). Presenting actual cases that illustrate philosophically salient problems will help display the value of biological literacy to more generalist philosophers, as well as the value of philosophical analysis to biologists. Modern physics proved to contain rich source material for philosophers generally, who in turn have helped (and continue to help) develop an understanding of the importance and consequence of modern physics. Advances in biology have not been as well appreciated by the general philosophical community, despite the rich philosophical material it presents - a situation we hope to remedy with this workshop. This workshop will identify emerging and underdeveloped fields of research in philosophy of biology, and spur research in these fields by bringing together junior researchers that are still mapping out their research interests. Developing interdisciplinary networks across disciplines between these researchers is one of the expected outcomes of this workshop, which will have an impact on the kind of research pursued by the next generation of philosophers of biology.

这个研讨会的中心思想是，界定生物对象不能仅由经验事实决定;哪些事实是突出的取决于理论和概念背景。汇集了哲学家和生物学家对这些概念问题的工作，讨论将集中在特定的情况下，从广泛的生物层次。通过突出生物学和哲学不同领域中常见的概念问题，将鼓励研究人员将一个领域中常见的方法和概念框架应用于其他领域的类似问题。在使用实际的案例研究，以实现这一目标，一个新的混合方法，哲学和概念的哲学工作将产生。除了涵盖生物学和生物学哲学广泛研究领域的越来越多的发言者之外，研讨会还与主要共同组织者的研究兴趣相一致。奥登博和哈伯的研究兴趣都涉及生物对象的本体论地位问题。奥登博的研究涉及生态学的概念问题，目前他关注的是生态系统和其他生态类型的界定。哈伯正在研究系统学问题，包括区分分类参考中的模糊性和不确定性，以及两者如何影响分类稳定性。犹他州大学为该项目提供了强有力的机构支持，一批热情的演讲者已经非正式地承诺参加。更广泛的影响这次研讨会是围绕着各种实际的生物学案例组织的。每个案例将收到至少一位哲学家和一位生物学家的评论。除了建立新的伙伴关系和加强来自一系列学科的志同道合的研究人员之间的现有网络外，研讨会还将通过出版案例研究、评论和随后的讨论来扩大其影响。这些会议记录将作为期刊特刊出版，并附有可供使用的网络材料（例如，案例评论后的讨论播客）。提出的实际情况下，说明突出的问题，将有助于显示生物素养的价值，更通才的哲学家，以及哲学分析的价值，生物学家。现代物理学为哲学家提供了丰富的原始资料，而哲学家反过来又帮助（并将继续帮助）理解现代物理学的重要性和后果。生物学的进步并没有得到一般哲学界的赞赏，尽管它提供了丰富的哲学材料-我们希望通过这次研讨会来纠正这种情况。本次研讨会将确定生物学哲学研究的新兴和欠发达领域，并通过汇集仍在规划其研究兴趣的初级研究人员来促进这些领域的研究。在这些研究人员之间发展跨学科的跨学科网络是本次研讨会的预期成果之一，这将对下一代生物学哲学家所追求的研究产生影响。