Topic description:
"Process thinking" is currently coming into the focus of research activity in philosophy of biology, as witnessed by recent workshop activity, publications, and research grants. This colloquium will provide a seminar-style introduction to process philosophy of biology designed for both philosophers and biologists. I focus on describing some of the developments in the life sciences that have motivated a "dynamic turn" of perspective, as well as on examining what difference, if any, that turn makes to biological theory. Topics to be addressed include pluralism and classification, biological essentialism, process theories of development, different ontologies of processes (particularist, causalist, functionalist), and the alleged underdetermination of ontology by science.

Biographical note:
James DiFrisco received his PhD in Philosophy from University of Leuven, Belgium, with a dissertation entitled "Process and Levels of Organization: A Dynamic Ontology for the Life Sciences." His research focuses on problems related to biological organization, functions, individuality, and levels, as well as on a variety of themes in naturalistic metaphysics including physicalism and the relations between scientific domains.