In this book, philosophers of biology explore central concepts and key issues in biology education. It covers a variety of topics ranging from traditional ones to contemporary ones, such as genomics, systems biology or evolutionary developmental biology.

Foreword; Michael Ruse.- Philosophy of Biology and Biology Education: An Introduction; Kostas Kampourakis.- What is life?; Carol Cleland and Michael Zerella.- Biological Explanation; Angela Potochnik.- What would Natural Laws in the Life Sciences be?;  Marc Lange.- The Nature of Evolutionary Biology: at the borderlands between Historical and Experimental Science; Massimo Pigliucci.- Evolutionary Theory and the Epistemology of Science; Kevin McCain & Brad Weslake.- Conceptual Change and the Rhetoric of Evolutionary Theory: ‘Force Talk’ as a case study and Challenge for Science Pedagogy; David Depew.- Debating the Power and Scope of Adaptation; Patrick Forber.- Biology and Religion: The Case for Evolution, Francisco Ayala.- The Implications of Evolutionary Biology for Religious Belief; Denis Alexander.- Intelligent Design and the Nature of Science: Philosophical and Pedagogical Points, Ingo Brigandt.- Molecular Evolution, Michael Dietrich.- Educational Lessons from Evolutionary Properties of the Sexual Genome; John Avise.- Non-genetic Inheritance and Evolution; Tobias Uller.- Homology, Alessandro Minelli & Giuseppe Fusco.- Teaching Evolutionary Developmental Biology: Concepts, Problems and Controversy; Alan Love.- Philosophical Issues in Ecology, James Justus.- Small Things, Big Consequences: Microbiological Perspectives on Biology; Michael J. Duncan, Pierrick Bourrat, Jennifer DeBerardinis, & Maureen O’ Malley.- Essentialism in Biology; John Wilkins.- Biological Teleology: the Need for History; James Lennox & Kostas Kampourakis.- Biology's Functional Perspective: Roles, Advantages and Organization; Arno Wouters.- Understanding Biological Mechanisms: Using Illustrations from Circadian Rhythm Research; William Bechtel.- Information in the Biological Sciences; Alfredo Marcos and Robert Arp.- Systems Biology and Education; Pierre Alain Braillard.- Putting Mendel in His Place: How Curriculum Reform in Genetics and Counterfactual History of Science Can Work Together; Annie Jamieson & Gregory Radick.- Against “Genes For”: Could an Inclusive Concept of Genetic Material Effectively Replace Gene Concepts?; Richard Burian & Kostas Kampourakis.- Current Thinking about Nature and Nurture, David Moore.- Genomics and Society: Why “Discovery” Matters; Lisa Gannett.- Philosophical Issues in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research; Andrew Siegel.- Ethics in Biomedical Research and Practice; Anya Plutynski.- Environmental Ethics; Roberta Millstein.

This book brings together for the first time philosophers of biology to write about some of the most central concepts and issues in their field from the perspective of biology education. The chapters of the book cover a variety of topics ranging from traditional ones, such as biological explanation, biology and religion or biology and ethics, to contemporary ones, such as genomics, systems biology or evolutionary developmental biology. Each of the 30 chapters covers the respective philosophical literature in detail and makes specific suggestions for biology education.

The aim of this book is to inform biology educators, undergraduate and graduate students in biology and related fields, students in teacher training programs, and curriculum developers about the current state of discussion on the major topics in the philosophy of biology and its implications for teaching biology. In addition, the book can be valuable to philosophers of biology as an introductory text in undergraduate and graduate courses.

"This is an unusual and, for that reason, an extraordinarily important volume. It is not only a compendium on philosophical discussions of all the major issues in biology over the past centuries, it is also written by philosophers well-acquainted with biology itself and aimed at educators. The important lesson that is conveyed is that science is a process involving every sort of consideration from epistemology to assumptions made and experimental design, to reasoning toward conclusions. Articles by the leading scholars in philosophy of biology analyze in cogent, non-jargonistic language, major issues such as “scientific creationism” and “Intelligent Design”, evo-devo, micro- and macro-evolution, reductionism, ethics in biomedical research and numerous others. This will be a valuable “companion” for biology instructors and pedagogical researchers at both the secondary and university levels, and especially in teacher-education programs. It will also be of important use to biologists doing cutting-edge research, suggesting ways they may want to think about their work. Most important, it brings a multitude of philosophical issues to bear on teaching students how to think about science as a field of dynamic inquiry, rather than one of static information." (Garland E. Allen, Professor of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, December 2013)

"The Philosophy of Biology: A Companion for Educators is an important and comprehensive contribution to biology and biology education authored by a remarkable group of scholars.  The nature of science has a unique flavor within biology and editor Kostas Kampourakis has assembled experts with both the expertise and communication skills to comment engagingly on virtually every aspect of the nature of biology.  Scholars of the history and philosophy of biology and biology educators will be informed by the range and depth provided by the rich diversity of chapters that comprise this important new work." (William F. McComas,Parks Family Professor of Science Education, University of Arkansas USA, December 2013)

"This unique anthology’s 30-chapters take research in ‘philosophy of science and science teaching’ to a whole new level of scholarly sophistication. The book will be welcomed by biologists, philosophers and educators; it will establish a new and indispensable baseline for future research in biology education." (Michael R. Matthews, School of Education, University of New South Wales, Australia, November 2013)

"An important collection for the area." (Jean Gayon Professeur à l'Université Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne, membre senior de l'IUF, Directeur de l'IHPST, September 2013)

"This is an unusual and, for that reason, an extraordinarily important volume. It is not only a compendium on philosophical discussions of all the major issues in biology over the past centuries, it is also written by philosophers well-acquainted with biology itself and aimed at educators. The important lesson that is conveyed is that science is a process involving every sort of consideration from epistemology to assumptions made and experimental design, to reasoning toward conclusions. Articles by the leading scholars in philosophy of biology analyze in cogent, non-jargonistic language, major issues such as "scientific creationism" and "Intelligent Design", evo-devo, micro- and macro-evolution, reductionism, ethics in biomedical research and numerous others. This will be a valuable "companion" for biology instructors and pedagogical researchers at both the secondary and university levels, and especially in teacher-education programs. It will also be of important use to biologists doing cutting-edge research, suggesting ways they may want to think about their work. Most important, it brings a multitude of philosophical issues to bear on teaching students how to think about science as a field of dynamic inquiry, rather than one of static information." (Garland E. Allen, Professor of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, December 2013) "The Philosophy of Biology: A Companion for Educators is an important and comprehensive contribution to biology and biology education authored by a remarkable group of scholars. The nature of science has a unique flavor within biology and editor Kostas Kampourakis has assembled experts with both the expertise and communication skills to comment engagingly on virtually every aspect of the nature of biology. Scholars of the history and philosophy of biology and biology educators will be informed by the range and depth provided by the rich diversity of chapters that comprise this important new work." (William F. McComas, Parks Family Professor of Science Education, University of Arkansas USA, December 2013) "This unique anthology's 30-chapters take research in 'philosophy of science and science teaching' to a whole new level of scholarly sophistication. The book will be welcomed by biologists, philosophers and educators; it will establish a new and indispensable baseline for future research in biology education." (Michael R. Matthews, School of Education, University of New South Wales, Australia, November 2013) "An important collection for the area." (Jean Gayon Professeur a l'Universite Paris 1-Pantheon Sorbonne, membre senior de l'IUF, Directeur de l'IHPST, September 2013)

First collection of essays on central concepts and issues in biology education written by philosophers of biology Contains 30 chapters, covering a wide variety of classical and modern topics in philosophy of biology with implications for education Explains concepts and issues which are crucial for biology education, in a manner which is understandable by non-philosophers

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