Abstract

Critics of Evolutionary Epistemology usually point out particular ways in which some suggested analogy between biology and epistemology is deficient. And supporters, in turn, often argue that these deficiencies are unimportant. From my point of view, the important question has become: What are the features which any Darwinian explanation must have, whether biological or epistemological? Providing answers to these questions is the focus of my dissertation. ;The first chapter of the dissertation contains a description of the historical context of Darwin's biological theory and a discussion of the primary features of the current biological theory of Darwinian evolution. The interrelationship between inheritance and natural selection is emphasized. ;The second chapter introduces seventeen principles which are intended as a complete description of the biological process of Darwinian evolution of species, and which incorporate the features outlined in Chapter One. After arguing for the adequacy of these principles, I use them as a base from which to construct a Theoretical Framework for all Darwinian Evolutionary theories. Like its biological model, it is based upon the paradigm cases of biological evolution, though the Framework is not tied to any particular domain. ;In the third chapter I employ this Framework as both a guide and a standard for evaluating the completeness and coherence of several recent theories of conceptual evolution. I consider the work of Stephen Toulmin, Donald Campbell, David Hull, and Douglas Shrader. The result of my analysis is that each of these theories lacks one or more of the important Darwinian features described in the framework. Although I suggest that some of the more serious flaws in the theories considered may be remedied either by specific changes in emphasis or else by further development, I conclude that the analysis indicates strongly that the domain of concepts or ideas is not, by itself, a fruitful arena for the application of a Darwinian explanation