Is genetics still metaphysical? Part III. Or could that be right after all?

I n the two prior parts of this little series ( I and II ), we've discussed the way in which unknown, putatively causative entities we...

Empiricismevolutiongeneticsmetaphysicsnatural lawsciencetheory

Is genetics still metaphysical? Part II. Is that wrong?

W hat is the role of theory vs empiricism in science?  How do these distinctions apply to genetics? Yesterday, we discussed some of the his...

Empiricismevolutiongeneticshistory of sciencesciencetheory

Is genetics still metaphysical? Part I. Some general history.

I n very broad terms, modern science has had debates about two basic kinds of approaches to understanding the world.  To over-simplify, they...

Empiricismgeneticsmetaphysicssciencetheory

When scientific theory constrains

I t's good from time to time to reflect on how we know what we think we know.  And to remember that, as it has been in any time in histo...

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The statistics of Promissory Science. Part II: The problem may be much deeper than acknowledged

Y esterday , I discussed current issues related to statistical studies of things like genetic or other disease risk factors.  Recent discuss...

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Unknowns, yes, but are there unknowables in biology?

T he old Rumsfeld jokes about the knowns and unknowns are pretty stale by now, so we won't really indulge in beating that dead horse.  B...

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The Darwin parable?

Every human culture is embedded in stories about itself in the world, its lore , based on some accepted type of evidence. Science is a kind...

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