Eric Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science Assistant Director of the University Scholars Program
Education
- Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
- M.A., University of California, San Diego
- B.A., The Colorado College
Specialties
- Philosophy and History of Science, Philosophy of Biology, Environmental Philosophy
Research Interests
My primary research interests are on the philosophy and history of science, focusing especially on life sciences. I work on evolutionary theory in the 20th century, with special interests in the evolutionary synthesis and debates on mechanistic and anti-mechanistic thinking in biology. Beyond evolution, I am interested in biological organization, classification, and the use of heuristics in biological research, such as the notion of "continuity." I have significant research expertise in environmental philosophy, naturalism and religion, and biomedical ethics.
Selected Publications
- "Cartwright and Polkinghorne on Pluralism and Metaphysics," Theology and Science 10.3 (2012): 281-90.
- "Queen Physics: How Much of the World is Painted Red" (with Nancy Cartwright), in God and the Scientist, ed. Fraser Watts and Christopher Knight (Ashgate, 2012).
Work in Progress
I am at work on, or have recently submitted, the following articles:
- "The Cold War Context of Lakatos' Philosophy of Science
- "Late Feyerabend Against Scientific Materialism"
- "Evidence, Objectivity, and Public Policy: Methodological Perspectives on the Vaccine Controversy"