My new paper on this classic article is out! I argue that the core argument is mostly forgotten/misremembered, and that it in fact revolves around the two "methods of study" which the authors propose. Teleology and purpose find their place in science as part of the "behavioral method of study"

📢 @barnesandnoble.com is offering 25% off book preorders from today through March 26th, including my forthcoming The Organism–Environment Pairing! (@mitpress.bsky.social) 📗👇 www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-organi... If you were thinking about getting a copy, now is the perfect time! #HPS #booksky🐋🌱

For those interested in the relation between HPS and science itself, here is our new page about HPS Mentoring in Science (with Alan Love and Tobias Uller) www.hps-mentoring-in-biology.org

A very interesting volume edited by Mathilde Lequin (@pacea.bsky.social) & Juan Manuel Rodríguez Caso examining historical & epistemological dimensions of human evolutionary research. A much welcome contribution to the growing field of the philosophy of paleoanthropology. #hpbio #paleosky #philsky

How does development shape the variation evolution can act on? In our new paper in @pnas.org , we bridge developmental dynamics and quantitative genetics, linking dynamical models of phenotype formation with the statistical parameters used to study evolutionary change www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

What a joy to finally share the cover of The Organism–Environment Pairing (@mitpress.bsky.social)! The 📗 will be out on May 12 📆! I look forward to the conversations it sparks among scientists, philosophers & historians! mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #evosky #histsci #philsci #philsky #booksky 🌱🐋

Do non-human animals represent time? New Element in the #PhilBio series by Angelica Kaufmann—free to download until March 16! Kaufmann argues that temporal cognition is widespread across many animal species & advances comparative analyses 👇📕 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #evosky #HPS #cogsci

Welcome to the social media page of the International Philosophy of Biology Circle (IPBC) 🌐 Our aim is to foster an interdisciplinary forum for dialogue on the theoretical, conceptual, historical, and ethical dimensions of the life sciences. Visit our website to learn more: www.phil-bio-circle.org

Do non-human animals represent time? New Element in the #PhilBio series by Angelica Kaufmann—free to download until March 16! Kaufmann argues that temporal cognition is widespread across many animal species & advances comparative analyses 👇📕 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #evosky #HPS #cogsci

After several years of work, my lab is starting to put out our first papers on learning in a unicellular organism (Stentor coeruleus). Here we show evidence for a form of associative learning in Stentor: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

It has been argued that what sets model organisms apart from other experimental 🐋🌱 is their high representational power. In our latest 📃, we argue otherwise: the hallmark of MOs lies in the dimensions of modeling versatility they afford to scientists 👇 link.springer.com/article/10.1... #philsci #HPS

New Element in the #PhilBio series by Silvia De Cesare—free to download until March 2! De Cesare examines the thorny issue of 'evolutionary progress,' recounting the arguments against and in favor of cashing out this contested notion 👇📕 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #evosky #HPS #philsky

New Element in the #PhilBio series by Silvia De Cesare—free to download until March 2! De Cesare examines the thorny issue of 'evolutionary progress,' recounting the arguments against and in favor of cashing out this contested notion 👇📕 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #evosky #HPS #philsky

Our BehaveAI paper has just come out! Easy & effective tracking & behavioural classification, even with tiny (2px), fast moving, camouflaged objects. Paper: doi.org/10.1371/jour... Download: github.com/troscianko/B... @uniexecec.bsky.social @kevinjgaston.bsky.social @jimamclgalloway.bsky.social

How does the strength of genetic drift evolve over long times? New preprint out 👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

How did childhood evolve? @andrameneganzin.bsky.social & @adrian-currie.bsky.social argue that childhood is a ‘trait complex,’ and this engenders trade-offs between the precision & historical relevance of tests performed in #BehavioralEcology 👇📃 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #evosky #philsci

Yes well said!! "Behaviourally complex"!! Time we finally recognised that you don't need to be a "higher" animal to exhibit behavioural complexity...

Final reminder 📢 We are looking for a #philbio or #philphysics postdoc for an interdisciplinary project exploring the boundary between living and nonliving systems through the lens of self-organization & active matter 👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsky #HPS #devbio Please share!

A new theme issue of #PhilTransB examines the mechanisms of learning from social interaction. Read articles for free: buff.ly/K8v43YM

Final reminder 📢 We are looking for a #philbio or #philphysics postdoc for an interdisciplinary project exploring the boundary between living and nonliving systems through the lens of self-organization & active matter 👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsky #HPS #devbio Please share!

For any one who might be curious as to why monitor lizards might have more sophisticated cognitive abilities when compared to many other closely related lizards here are a few evolutionary hypothesis. I'd more than happy to share a copy of the paper with anyone interested. Enjoy! lnkd.in/e94-Q5uw

Franz Manni and Francesco D'Errico have put together a HUGE book on the state of the art of the #anthropology & #archaeology of body modification 📿🎨 Ancient beads & pigment (& much more) lovers, this one's for you 👀 #Philsky #evosky #archaeosky #humanevo 🏺

Final days to submit an abstract to #PBCS2026! If you are an early-career scholar looking for a supportive environment to discuss your work & meet international peers, consider applying! Another plus this year: The workshop will be in Madrid! sites.google.com/view/xivpbcs... #HPbio #philsci #philsky

The human #chin is a fascinating evolutionary puzzle. This study on craniomandibular form in hominoids lends support to Gould & Lewontin's spandrel hypothesis. Much still hinges on what we count as a genuine morphological character & how that maps (or doesn’t) onto the 'traits' we measure & track.

I'm touched by the incredibly generous assessments that some of the first readers of "The Organism-Environment Pairing" (@mitpress.bsky.social) have offered! I'm excited to exchange ideas with everyone once the book is published in May! 📗 mitpress.mit.edu/978026205282... #HPbio #HPS #evosky #philsky

Scientists are investigating putative cognitive capacities in non-neuronal organisms. But how evolutionarily grounded is this approach? @alejandrofabregastejeda.com & @philosobio.bsky.social evaluate basal cognition research in their 📃👇 link.springer.com/article/10.1... #evodevo #evosky #cogsci #HPS

Exclusive: These bee-hunting beetles are the first animals known to fake the smell of flowers, according to a new study. https://scim.ag/49Bf8ho

Very happy to learn that I'll be attending the Cultural Evolutionary Society Conference next May in Rabat! Hope to see many friends and colleagues there, and chat about innovation in the Middle Paleolithic 😉 🪨 #CES2026 #philbio #paleosky #evosky

Our new paper (with @biotay.bsky.social) is out and on the cover story of @currentbiology.bsky.social !!!! Veronika, a Carinthian mountain cow flexibly uses a “multi-purpose tool” to scratch herself. A video and more information will follow in the comments. www.cell.com/current-biol...

New on the Archive: Dani, Gianmaria and Ramsey, Grant (2025) Tool Use Beyond Humans. Philosophy of Science, 92 (4). pp. 883-899. ISSN 1539-767X https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27952/

📱Is the origin of animals comparable to the origin of the smartphones? Yes! See our new review in @embojournal.org where we show how important it was the new "Operating System" (animalOS)for animals to evolve! with @ricardsole.bsky.social, Nick and Elena @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @csic.es @prbb.org

Reminder 📢 We are advertising a postdoctoral position in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living and nonliving systems👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsci #evosky

New Element in the #PhilBio series by Varga, Latham & @edouardmachery.bsky.social—free to download until Jan 26! If you are looking for a nice introduction to experimental #philmedicine, with an overview of debates & challenges, this book is for you! www.cambridge.org/core/element... #philsky #HPS

Reminder 📢 We are advertising a postdoctoral position in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living and nonliving systems👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsci #evosky

New Element in the #PhilBio series by Varga, Latham & @edouardmachery.bsky.social—free to download until Jan 26! If you are looking for a nice introduction to experimental #philmedicine, with an overview of debates & challenges, this book is for you! www.cambridge.org/core/element... #philsky #HPS

How are host organs remodeled for symbiosis? And do some insects converge in how they sustain life within/on these structures? Loved unpacking these Qs w/ @francespi.bsky.social in light of the stunning Nishino & @fkttkm.bsky.social study! www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

In his forthcoming 📃 in @jrnlofphil.bsky.social, Grant Ramsey shows that a long-standing thesis held by philosophers of biology & evolutionary biologists—that fitness depends on population size, n—is based on conceptual & mathematical errors 👇 philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27701/ #philsky #HPBio #evosky

Happy new year! If you are early career or graduate in Phil of Bio, consider European summer school below: fantastic venue, brilliant mix of junior & senior scholars, a wealth of debates, PPTs & skills training organised by @thomasreydon.bsky.social and myself. Deadline EXTENDED to 31 Jan! #philsci

"The Year in Neanderthals". It is interesting to see, among other things, how the arguments regarding the #speciesproblem have evolved. Which option most deprives the #Neanderthals of their evolutionary individuality? As you know, I do have a few thoughts 🙃👇 #hpbio #philsky #evosky #paleosky 🏺

In his forthcoming 📃 in @jrnlofphil.bsky.social, Grant Ramsey shows that a long-standing thesis held by philosophers of biology & evolutionary biologists—that fitness depends on population size, n—is based on conceptual & mathematical errors 👇 philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27701/ #philsky #HPBio #evosky

Really excited to have the new issue of Paleobiology @paleosoc.bsky.social out celebrating the 50th anniversary of #punctuatedequilibria #macroevolution #paleobiology #palaeontology #paleontology @nilese.bsky.social www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

#philsky #philsci #philtech #HPS #plantsky

Thanks @jcellsci.bsky.social for this opportunity to contribute to your centenary collection with our take on the state of the field - 10 years after its modern reincarnation 🧪🌍 W/ @alebenoit.bsky.social @eelcotromer.bsky.social @fritzlaylin.bsky.social journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

➡️New article out⬅️ The Fate of Behavioral Modernity by Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social Free reading link: rdcu.be/eUOUH

Some of the longest-lived organisms on Earth aren’t whales, trees or corals, but microbes buried deep in the earth. This eye-opening essay examines the slowest lives on Earth, asking what such lives mean for how we define life itself @karenlloyd.bsky.social

📣✨️✨️We are hiring! ✨️✨️📣 👇More info👇 #philjobs #hps #evosky #academicsky

1/28 New preprint up, which I think is the best theoretical idea I've ever had. We asked a simple question: what are the costs of investment into non-reproductive somatic cells? Turns out these costs decrease with the *logarithm* of organism size! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

New paper out today w @dalmaijer.bsky.social @barbaraklump.bsky.social and @lucymaplin.bsky.social as part of the Phil Trans special issue doi.org/10.1098/rstb.... Over 2 years, we studied a population of cockatoos thought to be the source of the innovation of bin-opening.

Come work with us! We are looking for a postdoc in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living & nonliving systems www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #academicsky #philjobs #HPS #evosky

New preprint from our lab: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @olegtolstenkov.bsky.social, Sissel and Rodolfo in collaboration with @appygenetics.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social built a behavioral atlas of the planktonic tunicate Oikopleura dioica across its life cycle.