Epistemic values in the Burgess Shale debate

Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Christian Baron

Abstract

Focusing primarily on papers and books discussing the evolutionary and systematic interpretation of the Cambrian animal fossils from the Burgess Shale fauna, this paper explores the role of epistemic values in the context of a discipline (paleontology) striving to establish scientific authority within a larger domain of epistemic problems and issues (evolutionary biology). The focal point of this analysis is the repeated claims by paleontologists that the study of fossils gives their discipline a unique 'historical dimension' that makes it possible for them to unravel important aspects of evolution invisible to scientists who study the extant biosphere. The first part of the paper explores the shifting of emphasis in the writings of paleontologists between two strategies that employ opposing views on the classical positivist and physicalist ideal of science. The second part analyzes paleontologists' claims of privileged access to life's historical dimension in a situation where a theoretical upheaval occurring independent of the epistemical problem at hand completely shifts the standards for evaluating the legitimacy of various knowledge claims. Though the various strategies employed in defending the privileged historical persp...Continue Reading

References

Sep 21, 1979·Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character·S J Gould, R C Lewontin
Feb 1, 1975·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·S M Stanley
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Nov 26, 2008·Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences·Edna Suárez-Díaz, Victor H Anaya-Muñoz

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Citations

Jan 31, 2016·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Susan C LevineKristin Ratliff
Jan 23, 2016·Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences·Ian Hesketh
Jan 23, 2016·Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences·David Sepkoski
Oct 29, 2013·Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences·Alan C Love, Gary L Lugar
Aug 14, 2010·Journal of the History of Biology·Christian Baron

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