Closer to Truth's Philosophy of Biology

How can philosophy advance biology? How can biology influence philosophy? In this first series on Philosophy of Biology, Closer to Truth explores the challenges and implications of evolution. We ask how life on earth came to be as it is, and how humans came to be as we are. We address biologically based issues, such as sex/gender, race, cognition, culture, morality, healthcare, religion, alien life, and more. When philosophy and biology meet, sparks fly as both are enriched.

Fri, Apr 25	6:30 A.M.	How Can Philosophy Probe Evolutionary Biology? NH World (11.3) Explore evolution, its scope and depth. How did life on earth come to be as it is, and how did humans come to be as we are? What are the deep principles driving evolution? What are evolution's challenges and open questions?
Fri, Apr 25	1:30 P.M.	How Can Philosophy Probe Evolutionary Biology? NH World (11.3) Explore evolution, its scope and depth. How did life on earth come to be as it is, and how did humans come to be as we are? What are the deep principles driving evolution? What are evolution's challenges and open questions?
Fri, May 2	6:30 A.M.	What Are The Units Or Levels of Selection? NH World (11.3) While evolution is how life on earth came to be, where does the evolution occur? At what level of the hierarchy of life -- from genes to individuals to groups to species -- does evolution work its selection magic? Is it multilevel?
Fri, May 2	1:30 P.M.	What Are The Units Or Levels of Selection? NH World (11.3) While evolution is how life on earth came to be, where does the evolution occur? At what level of the hierarchy of life -- from genes to individuals to groups to species -- does evolution work its selection magic? Is it multilevel?
Fri, May 9	6:30 A.M.	How Do Reductionism and Emergence Dance? NH World (11.3) Can biology be explained entirely in terms of chemistry and then physics? If so, that's "reductionism.
Fri, May 9	1:30 P.M.	How Do Reductionism and Emergence Dance? NH World (11.3) Can biology be explained entirely in terms of chemistry and then physics? If so, that's "reductionism.
Fri, May 16	6:30 A.M.	What Is Human Nature? NH World (11.3) What is "human" nature? While human beings are animals, we believe we are special, radically different from other animals.
Fri, May 16	1:30 P.M.	What Is Human Nature? NH World (11.3) What is "human" nature? While human beings are animals, we believe we are special, radically different from other animals.
Fri, May 23	6:30 A.M.	How Did Cognition and Emotion Evolve? NH World (11.3) What can evolution reveal about the developmental history of thinking and feeling? How did cognition and emotion (affect) co-develop over evolutionary time? Can evolution help solve the mystery of consciousness?
Fri, May 23	1:30 P.M.	How Did Cognition and Emotion Evolve? NH World (11.3) What can evolution reveal about the developmental history of thinking and feeling? How did cognition and emotion (affect) co-develop over evolutionary time? Can evolution help solve the mystery of consciousness?
Fri, May 30	6:30 A.M.	Evolution Vs. Religion: Anything New? NH World (11.3) Two kinds of questions probe evolution vs. religion.
Fri, May 30	1:30 P.M.	Evolution Vs. Religion: Anything New? NH World (11.3) Two kinds of questions probe evolution vs. religion.