Daniel J. Nicholson
@NicholsonHPBio
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History, Philosophy, & Theory of Biology • Assistant Professor @GeorgeMasonU
Fairfax, VA
Joined March 2018
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out today! It offers the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy. Please share; it is free to download for the next 2 weeks!
cambridge.org
Cambridge Core - Philosophy of Science - What Is Life? Revisited
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Every biological entity is unique; no two are exactly alike. Is this a trivial observation, or a profound metaphysical claim about the living world? Read my new paper & find out! It examines Mayr's famous (yet oft-misunderstood) idea of Population Thinking
link.springer.com
Acta Biotheoretica - The concept of ‘population thinking’ was introduced by Ernst Mayr in the mid-twentieth century and it has since become one of the most pervasive notions in the...
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One of my intellectual idols passed away yesterday. Nobody has managed to integrate the history and philosophy of biology as effectively and as elegantly as Evelyn Fox Keller. Her work from the 90s/00s is unrivalled and has long served as a model and inspiration for my own. RIP.
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Some of the responses to this are hilarious 😂
Can someone explain what happened during the Enlightenment to me, preferably only by using gifs?
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The wonderful Hasok Chang (@CambridgeHPS) showing a letter sent to him by Kuhn shortly before he died where he denies that one can simultaneously be a good historian of science and a good philosopher of science. One can certainly be both, just not at the same time (!) #clmpst2023
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Same.
@the_stardust @rodcasarin I couldn’t live a meaningful life without my library. My private library is my home and the books are my children. 📚📚📚
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I had a lovely time presenting in Michael Ruse’s session on “the new biology” today — great discussion with great co-panelists @NicholsonHPBio @GregoryRupik and Paul Thompson. @ISHPSSB #ISHPSSB2023
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Dan Nicholson (@NicholsonHPBio) presenting a critical take on Michael Ruse's new book at the #ISHPSSB2023
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In Michael Ruse's session on his book The New Biology: A Battle between Mechanism and Organism, I threw in my lot with the Organicists and argued why we might want to go Back to Goethe! Amazing co-panelists! @UofT_IHPST @ISHPSSB #ISHPSSB2023 @1stphilosophy @NicholsonHPBio
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Fantastic thread! Great summer reading 👍🏼
🧬 30 Days of Great Biology Papers. From the origins of the genetic code to pioneering work on circadian rhythms...these are my favorite snapshots from the history of biology. All the papers — and explanations — in a single thread: 🧵
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As much as I detest the impact factor, I admit that seeing @HPLSjournal making such a jump as I approach the end of my & Giovanni Boniolo’s editorship is impressive… huge thanks to our associate editors, board, fantastic authors & most of all our amazing referees 🙏🙌
Do journal metrics tell us anything very meaningful about journals? No. Will that stop us celebrating our new impact factor? Also no. #philsci
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One of the most original & incisive thinkers of the past 50 years has died. A master of weaving the history & philosophy of science, he had the unique ability to make any subject he wrote about look irresistible to his readers. What a giant. We shall not look upon his like again.
RIP Ian Hacking. Feb 18 1936 - May 10 2023 A very bright light has gone out.
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70 years ago, 3 papers appeared in @Nature under the title ‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids’. In an article appearing today (link at end) @matthewcobb and I shed new light on ‘what Watson and Crick really took from Rosalind Franklin’. This thread summarizes our findings.1/23
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As a philosopher of biology, there is no greater satisfaction than having your work read, discussed, and used by experimental biologists 🙏🏼
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Me before I teach Vs. Me before an undergrad I give a talk course in front of experts in an international conference
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I'm distraught to hear this. Gar was such a kind and generous soul, and his scholarship was exemplary of what integrated HPS is all about. I will miss him very much.
Saddened to hear of the death of Garland Allen on 9 February. He was a central figure in our communities, @ISHPSSB, JHB and MBL, among others, and a great scholar whose enthusiasm was infectious. He was a kind person who was a true gentleman, and will be deeply missed.
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