Vicissitudes of the Species by Dr. Sun Kyeong Yu (Philosophy Colloquium)
Thursday, October 3, 2024
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Zoom
The Philosophy Colloquium Series opens this fall with an online event: "Vicissitudes of the Species" by Dr. Sun Kyeong Yu (Minnesota State University, Mankato). This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Abstract:
We know that dogs are distinct from cats. Dogs and cats have different essences, which we believe are responsible for distinguishing the former from the latter. The difference in their essences classifies dogs as one species and cats as another. This view in biology is called biological essentialism.
Biological essentialism has been dominant in biological communities as well as in philosophical circles for a long time. However, some biologists and philosophers of biology have begun to cast doubt on the validity of biological essentialism and try to construe biology and biological entities through anti-essentialist lenses.
In this talk Dr. Yu will argue that the theoretical term ‘species’ does not refer to a real distinct taxon or a category in nature. The concept of species should not be reified. Instead, ‘tentative species’ may well be regarded as only a conceptual tool we conveniently use to make groups in the biological world.
About the speaker:
Dr. Yu is Professor of Philosophy at Minnesota State University, Mankato and co-author of the book How Bioscience Meets Buddhism (2020). She was trained as a molecular biologist prior to earning her Ph.D. in philosophy at Duke University.
Dr. Julie Wulfemeyer
julie.wulfemeyer@mnsu.edu
