Article ID: CBB001252357

The Structure of Idealization in Biological Theories: The Case of the Wright-Fisher Model (2012)

unapi

In this paper we present a new framework of idealization in biology. We characterize idealizations as a network of counterfactual and hypothetical conditionals that can exhibit different degrees of contingency. We use this idea to say that, in departing more or less from the actual world, idealizations can serve numerous epistemic, methodological or heuristic purposes within scientific research. We defend that, in part, this structure explains why idealizations, despite being deformations of reality, are so successful in scientific practice. For illustrative purposes, we provide an example from population genetics, the Wright-Fisher Model.

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Description Uses an example from population genetics, the Wright-Fisher Model, to investigate counterfactual and hypothetical conditionals.


Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB001252357/

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Authors & Contributors
Bertrand, Emanuel
Creath, Richard
Dain, Bruce R.
Folguera, Guillermo
Frick, Ramiro
Glick, Thomas F.
Journals
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biology and Philosophy
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
Configurations: A Journal of Literature, Science, and Technology
Filosofia e História da Biologia
History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences
Publishers
University of Pennsylvania
Cambridge University Press
Princeton University Press
The University of Utah Press
Concepts
Population genetics
Biology
Evolution
Philosophy of biology
Natural selection
Developmental biology
People
Wright, Sewall
Darwin, Charles Robert
Haldane, John Burdon Sanderson
Hamilton, William Donald
Mayr, Ernst
Mill, John Stuart
Time Periods
20th century
20th century, late
21st century
19th century
20th century, early
Places
Brazil
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