PHILOSOPHY 385 Understanding Life and Mind: Topics in the Philosophy of Biology
Joe Rouse
Fall 2014
Office Hours (Russell House 202/Allbritton 219; phone x3655; email jrouse@wesleyan.edu):
Tuesdays 3-4 (RH 202); Fridays 10:30-11:30 (Allbr 219); or by appointment
Books at Broad Street and at Olin Reserve:
Evan Thompson, Mind in Life (MiL)
Richard Lewontin, The Triple Helix (TH)
Massimo Piggliuci and Gerhard Muller, Evolution: The Extended Synthesis (EES)
Derek Bickerton, More Than Nature Needs (MTNN)
Texts on E-Res (password: phil385) (OL):
Robert Wilson-1, Genes and the Agents of Life, pp. 3-6, 23-35, 38-43, 47-53, 59-65
Mark Okrent, Rational Animals 28-40, 54-80
Scott Gilbert, Jan Sapp and Alfred Tauber, “A Symbiotic View of Life”
John Dupre, Processes of Life, ch. 5
Evelyn Fox Keller Refiguring Life, ch. 1
Dorothy Nelkin and Susan Lindee The DNA Mystique ch. 1,3
Karola Stotz and Paul Griffiths, Genetics and Philosophy pp. 26-65
Paul Griffiths and Kim Sterelny, Sex and Death ch. 2-3
Paul Griffiths and Russell Gray, “Darwinism and Developmental Systems”
Robert Wilson-2, Genes & Agents of Life, pp. 138-158 (from ch. 7, “Development”)
Sonia Sultan, “Development in Context: the Timely Emergence of Eco-Devo”
Kevin Laland and John Odling-Smee, “Cultural Niche Construction,” pp. 106-121
Kim Sterelny, “Detection Systems” (ch. 2 of Thought in a Hostile World)
Kathleen Akins, “Of Sensory Systems and the Aboutness of Mental States”
John Haugeland, “Mind Embodied and Embedded”
Elisabeth Lloyd, “Kanzi, Language and Evolution”
Daniel Dor and Eva Jablonka, “From Cultural Selection to Genetic Selection”
Tim Ingold, “From Complementarity to Obviation”
Text on Moodle: Joseph Rouse, “Language, Social Practice and Conceptual Normativity”
Olin Reserve (reference books):
Karol Stotz and Paul Griffiths, Genetics and Philosophy
Paul Griffiths and Kim Sterelny, Sex and Death
Susan Oyama, Paul Griffiths, and Russell Gray, Cycles of Contingency
Course Format: Advanced Seminar ---this course is aimed primarily at juniors and seniors in
Philosophy, Science in Society, or the life sciences with significant background in both
philosophy and biology. Students have substantial responsibility for introducing and contributing
to discussion. The course material is difficult, and presupposes both philosophical understanding,
and the ability to read and understand scientifically grounded arguments in the life sciences.
While the instructor may provide some extended explications of background material, the
expectation is that we will primarily engage the material in discussion.
Course Description: This advanced seminar explores some philosophically significant recent
developments in evolutionary, developmental, and genomic biology, with emphasis upon topics
bearing on biologically-grounded conceptions of mind and language. After initial treatment of
preparatory topics such as naturalism and reductionism, the course takes up three primary
themes: organism/environment relations; relations between genetics, epigenetics and
development in challenges to orthodox neo-Darwinism in evolution; and evolutionary
approaches to understanding mind and language, especially emphasizing niche construction and
the co-evolution of language and Homo sapiens. The first two topics are considered both for their
own philosophical significance, and also as indispensable background for understanding the final
course theme, biological approaches to understanding mind and language.
Course Requirements:
1) Regular seminar papers, approximately 1/2 page, to motivate and articulate a question or issue
for discussion (students are typically assigned seminar papers every fourth class session);
papers due on Moodle at 1 p.m. before class; several papers (usually not all) will be
presented orally, by instructor's invitation; papers contribute to overall grades, but will
not be graded individually; effectiveness in oral presentation of papers matters
2) Active participation in seminar discussions
3) Two philosophical papers, typically 8-10 pages (but substance matters much more than
length!), on topics of your own choice relevant to readings and discussions from that part
of the course; students are encouraged but not required to discuss possible topics with the
instructor in advance.
Grading: The assignments will carry approximately the following weight in grading:
Seminar papers and participation in discussion 30%
First paper 30%
Second paper 40%
Grading Options: this course may be taken either for a letter grade, or on a CR/U basis;
however, in order to receive a grade of CR, all assigned work must be successfully completed,
and the graded papers must be designated at least "satisfactory" (roughly equivalent to a C grade)
Course Expectations: In a seminar, your preparation and participation is not merely for your
own benefit, but a crucial contribution to what others gain from the course. Careful and thorough
preparation, attendance, and active, thoughtful, considerate participation in the seminar
discussions is expected from all members of the seminar.
Students with Disabilities: It is the policy of Wesleyan University to provide reasonable
accommodations to students with documented disabilities. Students, however, are responsible for
registering with Disabilities Services, in addition to making requests known to me in a timely
manner. If you require accommodations in this class, please make an appointment with me as
soon as possible during the the semester, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. The
procedures for registering with Disabilities Services can be found at:
http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/disability-students.html.
HONOR CODE: All assignments are submitted under the Honor Code as ethos of this academic
community. Philosophical work is collaborative, but you take responsibility for contributing to
that common conversation. Any use of published or posted materials other than assigned
readings must be properly cited. Please include this pledge on all graded assignments:
In accordance with the Honor Code, I affirm that this work is my own and all
content taken from other sources has been properly acknowledged.
SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Day Date
Topic
Reading
Part I: Introduction and Background Lectures
M
Sept
1
Naturalism, Metaphysics and Mind No reading assigned
W
“
3
Basic Concepts: Agents & Organisms Wilson-1 OL (1st 4 pp. on Moodle)
Part II: Organisms and Environments
M
“
8
Organisms, Functions and Goals
Okrent OL
W
“
10
Autonomy and Autopoiesis
Thompson MiL, ch. 3, 5
M
“
15
Organism and Environment
Lewontin TH, ch 1-2
W
“
17
From Organisms to Holobionts
Dupre OL Gilbert OL
Part III: Genes, Epigenetics, Development and Evolution
M
“
22
Classical & Molecular Genes
Stotz & Griffiths OL; Rec: S&G pp.
14-25 for those with less biology
W
“
24
Neo-Darwinism
Griffiths/Sterelny OL
M
“
29
Genes as Metaphor
Keller OL and Nelkin/Lindee OL
W
Oct
1
Epigenetics and Inheritance
Jablonka and Lamb, EES
M
“
6
Developmental Systems
Griffiths and Gray OL
W
“
8
Development
Wilson-2 OL 138-158
M
“
13
Phenotypic Plasticity
Pigliucci EES, Sultan OL
W
“
15
Niche Construction
Odling-Smee EES & Odling-Smee/
Laland OL pp. 106-121
FALL BREAK
Part IV: Mind in/as Life
W
“
22
Life as Mind?
Thompson MiL, ch 6-7
M
“
27
Detection Systems & Flexibility
Sterelny OL
W
“
29
Perceptual “Narcissism”
Akins OL
F
“
31
FIRST PAPER DUE
M
Nov
3
Mind in World
Haugeland OL
W
“
5
The Language Evolution Problem Bickerton, MTNN ch. 1
M
“
10
Language & the Primate Lineage
Lloyd OL
W
“
12
Language & Homo Sapiens
Bickerton, MTNN, ch 3
M
“
17
From Protolanguage to Language Bickerton, MTNN, ch. 4
W
“
19
Language Evolution Revisited
Bickerton, MTNN, ch. 9
M
“
24
Language & Conceptual Space
Dor and Jablonka OL
THANKSGIVING BREAK
M
Dec
1
Conceptual Normativity
Rouse OL
W
“
3
Unifying BioPsychoSocial Science? Ingold OL
Th
“
11
SECOND PAPER DUE, 5 p.m. on “rolling admissions” basis