Authors |
|
Abstract |
Advances in biology, at least over the past two centuries, have mostly relied on theories that were subsequently revised, expanded or eventually refuted using experimental and other means. The field of theoretical biology used to primarily provide a basis, similar to theoretical physics in the physical sciences, to rationally examine the frameworks within which biological experiments were carried out and to shed light on overlooked gaps in understanding. Today, however, theoretical biology has generally become synonymous with computational and mathematical biology. This could in part be explained by a relatively recent tendency in which a "data first", rather than a "theory first", approach is preferred. Moreover, generating hypotheses has at times become procedural rather than theoretical, therefore perhaps inadvertently leading some hypotheses to become perfunctory in nature. This situation leaves our understanding enmeshed in data, which should be disentangled from much noise. Given the many unresolved questions in biology and medicine, big and small, ranging from the problem of protein folding to unifying causative frameworks of complex non-Mendelian human diseases, it seems apt to revive the role of pure theory in the biological sciences. This paper, using the current biomedical literature and historical precedents, makes the case for a "philosophical biology" (philbiology), distinct from but quite complementary to philosophy of biology (philobiology), which would entail biological investigation through philosophical approaches. Philbiology would thus be a reincarnation of theoretical biology, adopting the true sense of the word "theory" and making use of a rich tradition of serious philosophical approaches in the natural sciences. A philbiological investigation, after clearly defining a given biological problem, would aim to propose a set of empirical questions, along with a class of possible solutions, about that problem. Importantly, whether or not the questions can be tested using current experimental paradigms would be secondary to whether the questions are inherently empirical or not. These issues will be illustrated using a range of specific examples. The final goal of a philbiological investigation would be to develop a theoretical framework that can lead observational and/or interventional experimental studies of the defined problem, a framework that is structured, generative and expandable, and, crucially, one that simplifies some aspect(s) of the said problem.
|
Keywords | Philosophical biology Philbiology Theoretical biology |
Categories | (categorize this paper) |
Options |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Download options
References found in this work BETA
Explanation and Scientific Understanding.Michael Friedman - 1974 - Journal of Philosophy 71 (1):5-19.
Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description.Bertrand Russell - 1911 - Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 11:108--28.
Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description.Bertrand Russell - 1917 - In Mysticism and Logic. London: Longmans Green. pp. 152-167.
View all 19 references / Add more references
Citations of this work BETA
Analytic Philosophy for Biomedical Research: The Imperative of Applying Yesterday's Timeless Messages to Today's Impasses.Sepehr Ehsani - 2020 - In P. Glauner & P. Plugmann (eds.), Innovative Technologies for Market Leadership - Investing in the Future. Springer. pp. 167-200.
Similar books and articles
The Explanatory Tools of Theoretical Population Biology.Gregory Cooper - 1990 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1990:165 - 178.
‘On the Different Ways of ‘‘Doing Theory’’ in Biology‘.Massimo Pigliucci - 2013 - Biological Theory 7 (4): 287-297.
Formal Biology and Compositional Biology as Two Kinds of Biological Theorizing.Rasmus Grønfeldt Winther - 2003 - Dissertation, Indiana University, HPS
The Strategy Concept and John Maynard Smith’s Influence on Theoretical Biology.Manfred D. Laubichler, Edward H. Hagen & Peter Hammerstein - 2005 - Biology and Philosophy 20 (5):1041-1050.
The Functional Perspective of Organismal Biology.Arno Wouters - 2005 - In Thomas Reydon & Lia Hemerik (eds.), Current Themes in Theoretical Biology. Springer. pp. 33--69.
The Meaning of “Theory” in Biology.Massimo Pigliucci, Kim Sterelny & Werner Callebaut - 2013 - Biological Theory 7 (4):285-286.
Social and Ethical Aspects of Biology Part of Theoretical Biology?H. Verhoog - 1975 - Acta Biotheoretica 24 (1-2):22-34.
Homology in Comparative, Molecular, and Evolutionary Developmental Biology: The Radiation of a Concept.Ingo Brigandt - 2003 - Journal of Experimental Zoology (Molecular and Developmental Evolution) 299:9-17.
The So-Called Extended Synthesis and Population Genetics.Lindsay R. Craig - 2010 - Biological Theory 5 (2):117-123.
The so-Called Extended Synthesis and Population Genetics.Lindsay R. Craig - 2010 - Biological Theory 5 (2):117-123.
Biological Organization and the Role of Theoretical Biology : Function and Autonomy.Arantza Etxeberria & Jon Umerez - 2009 - In González Recio & José Luis (eds.), Philosophical Essays on Physics and Biology. G. Olms.
The Philosophy of Biology.David L. Hull & Michael Ruse (eds.) - 1973 - London: Oxford University Press.
Naturalizing Theorizing: Beyond a Theory of Biological Theories. [REVIEW]Werner Callebaut - 2013 - Biological Theory 7 (4):413-429.
Analytics
Added to PP index
2016-05-23
Total views
120 ( #97,531 of 2,507,666 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
16 ( #51,564 of 2,507,666 )
2016-05-23
Total views
120 ( #97,531 of 2,507,666 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
16 ( #51,564 of 2,507,666 )
How can I increase my downloads?
Downloads