The Species Problem: A Conceptual History

The general notion of species is one of the most fundamental in biology. But an idea of species is also one of the most persistent unresolved obsessions of biologists, philosophers and theoreticians. This new book investigates the multifaceted problem species as a "conceptual envelope" of that notion. Contemporary conceptualists and evolutionary epistemology allow for a fresh look by analyzing the framework of history viewed as changes ordered by changing philosophical-scientific contexts. In this analysis, the species problem is characterized in a pluralistic non-trivial manner, in contrast to a more monistic "accepted view."

Key Features

• Provides new insights into the persistent species "problem."
• Focuses on conceptual history and identifies pivotal landmarks in the history of the concept of species.
• Argues for a scientific consistency of species pluralism.
• Discusses the "evolving species-hood" in the context of new essentialism.