Sample Questions for Philosophy 2233—Fall 2005
I. Taxonomy, the fossil record, and human evolution.
1. Describe the difference between homologies and analogies (in terms that don’t assume the evolutionary explanation
of the difference.)
2. How does evolution explain homologies?
3. How does evolution explain analogies?
4. Given an evolutionary account of present-day taxonomy, what prediction can we make about the fossil record
regarding the boundaries between groups that share some homologies but are now very distinct from each other?
5. What is punctuated equilibrium?
6. What would an evolutionary theorist predict about the order of appearance, in the fossil record, of fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals? Why?
7. Why is archaeopteryx a good intermediate between birds and reptiles?
8. What is neoteny? Why do some suggest humans may be neotenic?
9. What prediction does evolution make regarding the details of human DNA and the DNA of chimpanzees? Is the
prediction borne out?
10. What do “scientific” creationists hold regarding the origins of various “kinds” of living thing?
11. What predictions would a creationist make regarding the design of living things?
12. What does the Panda’s “thumb” exemplify about the design of living things?
II. Natural selection, adaptation, chance, mutation and speciation.
*1. Explain how heredity, competition, and variation come together to produce evolution by natural selection.
2. What is the role of mutation in evolution?
3. In what sense is mutation a “chance” factor?
4. How can complex adaptations arise by the action of mutations and natural selection?
5. Explain how natural selection led to the retention of the sickle-cell anemia in some African and Mediteranean
populations.
*6. The production of any particular species, or of any particular sequence of DNA by mutation and selection is always
extremely unlikely. Does that show that evolution must be mistaken? Discuss (consider carefully the question whether
every improbable event needs a special explanation.)
7. What is genetic drift?
8. What does an essentialist about species hold?
9. What would a creationist predict about the limits of natural selection acting on a “basic kind”?
10. What is a “ring species”?
III. Science, creationism, and social evolution.
1. What was Lysenkoism?
2. How does Futuyma explain the success of science in developing new and better theories despite the normal human
foolishness, venality and stubbornness of individual scientists? What do you make of this explanation- is he right about
this?
3. How do hypotheses become facts, according to Futuyma? What is the status of evolution by this standard?
4. What is the main contrast Futuyma proposes between scientific theories and non-scientific ones?
*5. Discuss the differences between laboratory sciences (basic physics, chemistry etc.) and historical sciences
(including biology and geology). Do these differences imply that the historical sciences must be more speculative, and
less well supported by evidence, than the lab sciences?
6. Does controversy over the mechanisms of evolution and the importance of different factors (natural selection,
patterns of extinction, etc.) imply that evolution is itself in doubt?
*7. Creationists often argue as if providing an argument against evolution or natural selection automatically provides
support for their own account. What must they assume if this is to work? Does this assumption hold water? Discuss.
8. Are there, or are there not, fossils intermediate between major modern groups? Give examples, and show why they
are or are not good examples of intermediates.
9. How could natural selection lead to a complex feature with many interdependent parts?
*10. Does believing in the fact of evolution necessarily lead to the view that “might makes right”, or that we must be
harsh (as a society) to ensure that “survival of the fittest” continues to “improve” us? What are the ethical implications
of evolution?