Integration without unification: an argument for pluralism in the biological sciences.
In this article, we consider the tension between unification and pluralism in biological theory. We begin with a consideration of historical efforts to establish a unified understanding of evolution in the neo-Darwinian synthesis. The fragmentation of the evolutionary synthesis by molecular evolution suggests the limitations of the general unificationist ideal for biology but not necessarily for integrating explanations. In the second half of this article, we defend a specific variety of pluralism that allows for the integration required for explanations of complex phenomena without unification on a large scale.
Mitchell
Sandra D
SD
Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA. smitchel@pitt.edu
Dietrich
Michael R
MR
D005075:Biological Evolution; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008954:Models, Biological; D008967:Molecular Biology; D010163:Paleontology; D012641:Selection, Genetic