Promises and Limits of Reductionism in the Biomedical Sciences (Catalysts for Fine Chemical Synthesis)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471498505 ISBN 13: 9780471498506

Publisher: Wiley, 2002

Reductionism as a scientific methodology has been extraordinarilysuccessful in biology. However, recent developments in molecularbiology have shown that reductionism is seriously inadequate indealing with the mind-boggling complexity of integrated biologicalsystems.
This title presents an appropriate balance between science andphilosophy and covers traditional philosophical treatments ofreductionism as well as the benefits and shortcomings ofreductionism in particular areas of science.
Discussing the issue of reductionism in the practice of medicine ittakes into account the holistic and integrative aspects thatrequire the context of the patient in his biological andpsychological entirety.
The emerging picture is that what first seems like hopelessdisagreements turn out to be differences in emphasis. Althoughgenes play an important role in biology, the focus on genetics andgenomics has often been misleading. The consensus view leads topluralism: both reductionst methods and a more integrative approachto biological complexity are required, depending on the questionsthat are asked.
* An even balance of contributions from scientists and philosophersof science - representing a unique interchange between bothcommunities interested in reductionism

From the Back Cover:

Reductionism as a scientific methodology has been extraordinarilysuccessful in biology. However, recent developments in molecularbiology have shown that reductionism is seriously inadequate indealing with the mind-boggling complexity of integrated biologicalsystems. Biomolecules are not only very complicated molecularmachines but are the results of the whole evolutionary history oflife. Earlier enthusiasm for the reduction of biology to chemistryand physics has given place to the appreciation of biology as anessentially historical discipline that requires functional and notonly structural explanations. To explain and treat human disease,it is nearly always necessary to move beyond genetic reductionismand take into account holistic and integrative aspects that requirethe context of the patient in his or her biological andpsychological entirety.

Promises and Limits of Reductionism in the Biomedical Scienceshighlights:
* The traditional philosophical treatments of reductionism

* The benefits and shortcomings of reductionism in particular areasof science

* The issue of reductionism in the practice of medicine

* The deficiencies of evolutionary psychology and the inadequacy ofreductive explanations of human behaviour in terms of singlefactors
The picture that emerges in this anthology is that what might atfirst seem like hopeless disagreement turns out to be ratherdifferences in emphasis. Although genes play an important role inbiology, the focus on genetics and genomics has often beenmisleading. The consensus view leads to pluralism: bothreductionist methods and a more integrative approach to biologicalcomplexity are required, depending on the questions that areasked.

This book has an excellent balance between contributions fromscientists and philosophers of science. It will appeal tophilosophers and scientists alike and represents a uniqueinterchange between individuals from both communities interested inreductionism.

About the Author:

David L. Hull has been teaching philosophy of biology for almost forty years. He received his PhD from the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Indiana University and has taught at the University of Wisconisn-Milwuaukee and Northwestern University. He has published a dozen books and anthologies and over a hundred papers. He is past president of the Philosophy of Science Association, The Society for Systematic Zoology and the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Marc Van Regenmortel was for 20 years Director of the Immunochemistry Laboratory at the CNRS Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, in Strasbourg, France. Educated in Brussels, Belgium, he received his PhD degree (1961) in Virology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and held professorship appointments at several Universities in South Africa and France. The author or editor of 14 books in virology and immunochemistry, he has published over 350 scientific papers and reviews. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Recognition and of Archives of Virology, an Executive Editor of Analytical Biochemistry and serves on the editorial boards of seven other journals. He was for nine years (1990-1999) Secretary General of the International Union of Microbiological Societies and for three years (1987-1990) Chairman of its Virology Division. He is since 1996 the President of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.