Title of article
Could a “philosophical fitness landscape” foster Wilsonian consilience in biosystems debates?
Author/Authors
Richard Emery، نويسنده ,
Issue Information
روزنامه با شماره پیاپی سال 2003
Pages
11
From page
217
To page
227
Abstract
A digital interpretation of Edward O. Wilson’s principle of “consilience”—knowledge will grow out of interdisciplinary accommodation—is attempted by modeling it with 32 pixels on a “philosophical fitness landscape” (PFL). This approach partially answers a need expressed by Wilson to develop useful consilience methodology, including maps and other orientation devises. Responding also to his call for more imagination, a “virtual roundtable” discussion is convened among 13 scientific luminaries to debate the meaning of biological life and its origin. This is done to test (subjectively) the null hypothesis that a PFL would be insensitive to the diversity of perspectives engaged in such a debate. Rejecting the null hypothesis, an argument is made that an appropriate PFL might help to foster Wilsonian consilience in biosystems debates, where it is needed most.
Keywords
E.O. Wilson , Consilience , Philosophical fitness landscape , Virtual roundtable debate , Origin of life , Growth of knowledge
Journal title
BioSystems
Serial Year
2003
Journal title
BioSystems
Record number
497562
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