-
John Dupré was Born
-
Dupré received his PhD in Philosophy
Dupré received his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge -
Member of The Stanford University Department of Philosophy
He was a member of the Stanford University Department of Philosophy from 1982 to 1996. -
The Latest on the Best: Essays on Evolution and Optimality
The papers in this collection represent a number of very different disciplines, reflecting the extent to which evolutionary ideas have appeared relevant to a wide variety of inquiries. The book is divided into four parts. The book contains a number of papers concerned with the strictly biological issues surrounding evolution and optimality, with two papers addressing the possibility of applying evolutionary ideas in evolutionary ecology and learning theory. -
The Disorder of Things: Metaphysical Foundations of the Disunity of Science
Dupré revolves his book around two notions:
1) a rejection of the notion that science can represent a single unified project
2) metaphysical assertion that the contents of the world are diverse such that each subject has its own characteristic behavior and interaction. He also emphasizes that biology consists of many complex and interdependent entities that cannot be presented through a unified method -
Human Nature and the Limits of Science
Dupré states that he believes there is a bond that exists between humans and science that humans find essential in providing explanations to natural occurrences and increasing human understanding. However, he disagrees such devotion to science. Science alone cannot answer the most complex questions that humans can ask.The combination of empirical knowledge stemming from the sciences with wisdom and insight into human nature. Only through a pluralistic approach can humans understand nature. -
Humans and Other Animals
John Dupre explores the ways in which we categorize animals and humans.He opposes the idea that there is only one legitimate way of classifying things in the natural world, the'scientific'way.He questions the relevance of evolution to explain human behavior, and casts doubt on the concept of normality in human behavior. By misunderstanding biology and evolution has lead to widespread misconceptions about human sex, sexual behavior and gender roles. -
Darwin’s Legacy: What Evolution Means Today
His book shows that although there are particular aspects of the theory of evolution which remain controversial, there can no longer be any doubt that the basis of the theory is true. It examines the consequences for our view of human nature, religion, and non-human animals. Dupré believes that despite its status as one of the most important scientific ideas of all time, the theory of evolution has very little to tell us about the details of human nature and human behavior. -
Value-Free Science: Ideal or Illusion
This book investigates how values are involved in science, and examines the implications of this involvement for ideals of objectivity.The book works on the basis that science is our best hope for realizing objective knowledge, but it must be value free. -
Genomes and What to Make of Them
Barnes and Dupre delves into the use of genomics in determining evolutionary paths and what it can tell us. It considers both the power and risks of genetics, from the economic potential of plant genomes to overblown claims that certain human genes can be directly tied to such traits as intelligence or homosexuality. The authors argue, that with such powerful knowledge now at our disposal it is the job of the citizen AND the scientist to head down a responsible path. -
Elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/ Nature After the Genome
Dupré was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in recognition of his work on Darwinism
Nature After The Genome explores the relationship between developments in genomic technologies and our knowledge and understanding of nature.Based on cutting edge empirical research, issues such as synthetic biology, stem cell research, agricultural biotechnology, adolescent obesity and puberty, animal behavior, molecular biology and biodiversity are explored. -
Processes of Life: Essays in the Philosophy of Biology
In this book Dupré explores recent revolutionary developments in biology and considers their relevance for our understanding of human nature and human society. Dupré shows the importance of microbiology for a proper understanding of the living world, and reveals how it subverts such basic biological assumptions as the organisation of biological kinds on a branching tree of life, and the simple traditional conception of the biological organism. -
Reductive versus Non-Reductive Physicalism
John Dupré and Alex Rosenberg discuss physicalist reductionism & anti-reductionism. Link text -
Elected Vice-President (and President-Elect) of the Philosophy of Science Association (USA)/Everything Flows
He was elected Vice-President (and President-Elect) of the Philosophy of Science Association (USA).Everything Flows explores the metaphysical thesis that the living world is not made up of substantial particles or things, but is rather constituted by processes. Biology provides compelling reasons for thinking that the living realm is fundamentally dynamic, and that the existence of things is always conditional on the existence of processes. -
Why There are no Living Things
Why There are no Living Things | What does it mean to say that organisms are processes, not things? And if humans, like all organisms, are processes, what are the upshots? In this talk, John Dupré will explain the process view of organisms and explore its implications for topics ranging from the nature of medicine to personal identity.
youtube lecture Link text -
What is Reality?
Full Debate | Subir Sarkar, John Dupré, Nancy Cartwright Link text
John Dupre contributed to this youtube debate on "What is Reality?", where it revolved around the question "Should we give up on our conviction that physical stuff is the bedrock of the world, or is such talk ivory tower nonsense?".
