Work

Works

I am a philosopher of science primarily interested in questions of scientific explanation and understanding. I’m interested in these concepts both in general, and from within the contexts of particular scientific disciplines. I explore questions about what unifies explanatory practices, to what degree scientific understanding is a unified phenomenon, and I examine diverse areas of scientific research to find answers. I’ve worked mostly through the lens of the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, but in my current work, I explore areas as diverse as evolutionary theory, paleontology, historical geology, anthropology, human history, and sociology. All of my work, whatever the topic, takes at least a partial historical approach. Philosophy of science is made much richer by having a proper understanding of science in its historical context, and so I strive to truly integrate historical and historiographical research into my philosophical work so that philosophy and history can mutually illuminate the interesting aspects of science as a device for the generation of human knowledge.