Philosophers
Ernst Mayr
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Ernst Mayr (1904-2005) was a zoologist and evolutionary biologist whose complaint that books titled 'philosophy of science' were really about physics helped spur philosophy of biology's emergence as its own field distinct from philosophy of physics.
Facts
Defining MomentIn Systematics and the Origin of Species (1942), Mayr articulated the biological species concept, defining a species as a reproductively isolated interbreeding population rather than a group of merely similar-looking individuals. 1 Notable PublicationSystematics and the Origin of Species (1942) 1 BirthplaceKempten, Bavaria, German Empire 1 Death PlaceBedford, Massachusetts, U.S. 1 TraditionPhilosophy of biology, evolutionary biology; credited with founding modern philosophy of biology as distinct from physics-derived philosophy of science 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfobox: Born (date)Quote, Infobox: Born (date)
5 July 1904
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfobox: Born (place)Quote, Infobox: Born (place)
Kempten, Bavaria, German Empire
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfobox: Died (date)Quote, Infobox: Died (date)
3 February 2005
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfobox: Died (place)Quote, Infobox: Died (place)
Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaPublications list: Systematics and the Origin of SpeciesQuote, Publications list: Systematics and the Origin of Species
Systematics and the Origin of Species
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section: species conceptQuote, Lead section: species concept
a species is not just a group of morphologically similar individuals, but a group that can breed only among themselves, excluding all others
1. Ernst Mayr (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section: philosophy of biologyQuote, Lead section: philosophy of biology
Mayr is sometimes credited with inventing modern philosophy of biology, particularly the part related to evolutionary biology, which he distinguished from physics due to its introduction of (natural) history into science.
Philosophy of Biology (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
entry: Philosophy of Biology, Section 1Quote, entry: Philosophy of Biology, Section 1
Even in 1969 the zoologist Ernst Mayr could complain that books with 'philosophy of science' in the title were all misleading and should be re-titled 'philosophy of physics'
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