Document Type
Article
Publication Title
The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Version
Author's Final Manuscript
Volume
66
Publication Date
2015
Abstract
Shapiro and Sober ([2007]) claim that Walsh, Ariew, Lewens, and Matthen (henceforth WALM) give a mistaken, a priori defense of natural selection and drift as epiphenomenal. Contrary to Shapiro and Sober’s claims, we first argue that WALM’s explanatory doctrine does not require a defense of epiphenomenalism. We then defend WALM’s explanatory doctrine by arguing that the explanations provided by the modern genetical theory of natural selection are ‘autonomous-statistical explanations’ analogous to Galton’s explanation of reversion to mediocrity and an explanation of the diffusion ofgases. We then argue that whereas Sober’s theory of forces is an adequate description of Darwin’s theory, WALM’s explanatory doctrine is required to understand how themodern genetical theory of natural selection explains large-scale statistical regularities.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axt054
Citation
Ariew, André, Collin Rice, and Yasha Rohwer. 2015. "Autonomous Statistical Explanations and Natural Selection." The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 66.3: 635–658.