Okasha's overall discussion is admirably clear, focused, and integrative, despite ranging over literatures from evolutionary biology, game theory, rational choice theory, and the philosophy of economics. He brings much order to what can be a confusing set of issues and debates . . . those looking for a clear overview of agential thinking in the evolutionary sciences will learn much from the book, and it will be important reading for philosophers of the biological and social sciences more generally.

Autorentext

Samir Okasha, Professor of Philosophy of Science, University of Bristol

Klappentext

Samir Okasha offers a critical study of agential thinking in biology, where evolved organisms are seen as agents pursuing a goal. He examines the justification for transposing concepts from rational humans to the biological world, and considers whether agential thinking is mere anthropomorphism or plays a more intellectual role in the science.

Inhalt

• Part I: Agency in Evolutionary Biology

• 1: Agential Thinking and its Rationale

• 2: Genes and Groups as Agents

• Part II: The Goal of Fitness Maximization

• 3: Wright s Adaptive Landscape, Fisher s Fundamental Theorem

• 4: Grafen s Formal Darwinism, Adaptive Dynamics

• 5: Social Evolution, Hamilton s Rule, Inclusive Fitness

• Part III: Rationality meets Evolution

• 6: The Evolution-Rationality Connection

• 7: Can Adaptiveness and Rationality Part Ways?

• 8: Risk, Rational Choice and Evolution

• Final Thoughts