Philosophy of Ecology (Handbook of the Philosophy of Science, Vol. 11) (Volume 11)

The most pressing problems facing humanity today - over-population, energy shortages, climate change, soil erosion, species extinctions, the risk of epidemic disease, the threat of warfare that could destroy all the hard-won gains of civilization, and even the recent fibrillations of the stock market - are all ecological or have a large ecological component. in this volume philosophers turn their attention to understanding the science of ecology and its huge implications for the human project. To get the application of ecology to policy or other practical concerns right, humanity need. Read more... Abstract: The most pressing problems facing humanity today - over-population, energy shortages, climate change, soil erosion, species extinctions, the risk of epidemic disease, the threat of warfare that could destroy all the hard-won gains of civilization, and even the recent fibrillations of the stock market - are all ecological or have a large ecological component. in this volume philosophers turn their attention to understanding the science of ecology and its huge implications for the human project. To get the application of ecology to policy or other practical concerns right, humanity need Content: Front Cover Philosophy of Ecology Copyright Page General Preface Preface Contributors Contents Introduction Philosophy of Ecology Today Introduction Part 1: Philosophical Issues in the History and Science of Ecology Part 2: Philosophical Issues in Applied Ecology and Conservation Science Part 1: Philosophical Issues in the History and Science of Ecology Origins and Development of Ecology Introduction 1 What were the Novel Abductions or Hypotheses that Set Ecology Apart? 2 What were the Origins or Inspirations of these Defining Hypotheses? 3 How much have these Initial Hypotheses Affected the Subsequent Development of Ecology?4 Who exactly Constituted the Community of Pioneer Ecologists? 5 How much Convergence Towards a Consistent set of Hypotheses has Occurred? 6 Summary and Conclusions Bibliography The Legend of Order and Chaos: Communities and Early Community Ecology 1 Clements, Gleason, and Preservability 2 The Prospect of Scientific Ecology 3 Order and Chaos 4 Clements's and Gleason's Ontologies 5 Polarizing Narratives 6 Multiple Communities 7 Conclusion Acknowledgements Bibliography. Philosophical Themes in the Work of Robert H. Macarthur1 Introduction 2 A Biographical Sketch and Sketch of Macarthur's Research Program 3 A Tale of Two Models 4 Did Macarthur Unify Population Biology? 5 Conclusion Bibliography Embodied Realism and Invasive Species 1 Introduction 2 The Image Schemata of Invasion Biology 3 Discussion Acknowledgements Bibliography A Case Study in Concept Determination: Ecological Diversity 1 Introduction 2 Adequacy Criteria for the Concept of Ecological Diversity 3 Simpson's Index 4 Shannon's Index. 5 The Role of the Diversity Concept within EcologyAcknowledgements Bibliography The Biodiversity-ecosystem Function Debate in Ecology 1 Introduction 2 Background: The Diversity-Stability Debate 3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions: Key Concepts 4 The Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Debate 5 Conclusion Bibliography A Dynamical Approach to Ecosystem Identity Introduction 1 The Practical Significance of Ecosystem Individuation 2 Identity and Individuation of Dynamical Systems 3 Ecosystem Individuation and Change 4 Ecosystem Meta-Models 5 Conclusion Acknowledgements. The most pressing problems facing humanity today — over-population, energy shortages, climate change, soil erosion, species extinctions, the risk of epidemic disease, the threat of warfare that could destroy all the hard-won gains of civilization, and even the recent fibrillations of the stock market — are all ecological or have a large ecological component. in this volume philosophers turn their attention to understanding the science of ecology and its huge implications for the human project.

To get the application of ecology to policy or other practical concerns right, humanity needs a clear and disinterested philosophical understanding of ecology which can help identify the practical lessons of science. Conversely, the urgent practical demands humanity faces today cannot help but direct scientific and philosophical investigation toward the basis of those ecological challenges that threaten human survival. This book will help to fuel the timely renaissance of interest in philosophy of ecology that is now occurring in the philosophical profession.

• Provides a bridge between philosophy and current scientific findings
• Covers theory and applications
• Encourages multi-disciplinary dialogue

The most pressing problems facing humanity today - over-population, energy shortages, climate change, soil erosion, species extinctions, the risk of epidemic disease, the threat of warfare that could destroy all the hard-won gains of civilization, and even the recent fibrillations of the stock market - are all ecological or have a large ecological component. in this volume philosophers turn their attention to understanding the science of ecology and its huge implications for the human project. To get the application of ecology to policy or other practical concerns right, humanity needs a clear and disinterested philosophical understanding of ecology which can help identify the practical lessons of science. Conversely, the urgent practical demands humanity faces today cannot help but direct scientific and philosophical investigation toward the basis of those ecological challenges that threaten human survival. This book will help to fuel the timely renaissance of interest in philosophy of ecology that is now occurring in the philosophical profession. This title: provides a bridge between philosophy and current scientific findings; covers theory and applications; and, encourages multi-disciplinary dialogue The most pressing problems facing humanity today - over-population, energy shortages, climate change, soil erosion, species extinctions, the risk of epidemic disease, the threat of warfare that could destroy all the hard-won gains of civilization, and even the recent fibrillations of the stock market - are all ecological or have a large ecological component. in this volume philosophers turn their attention to understanding the science of ecology and its huge implications for the human project. nbsp, To get the application of ecology to policy or other practical concerns right, humanity needs a clear and disinterested philosophical understanding of ecology which can help identify the practical lessons of science. Conversely, the urgent practical demands humanity faces today cannot help but direct scientific and philosophical investigation toward the basis of those ecological challenges that threaten human survival. This book will help to fuel the timely renaissance of interest in philosophy of ecology that is now occurring in the philosophical profession. Provides a bridge between philosophy and current scientific findingsCovers theory and applicationsEncourages multi-disciplinary dialogue