The Philosophy of Biology of

Living Beings
COGS 140
Course Syllabus

Course: Phil 190: Philosophy of Living Beings

Time: TR 2pm-5:30pm
Location: COB 276
Start/End Dates: May 22,-Jun 30, 2017
Credit Hours: 4
Instructor: Ben Pageler
Email: bpageler@ucmerced.edu
Office: SSM 252a
Office Hours: MW 3-4 or by appointment

Required Readings:
ALL readings will be provided in pdf format on the course web page (FOLLOW THE
SYLLABUS CAREFULLY)
Course Description: Broadly speaking, this is a course in the philosophy of biology. We will
explore the question 'what is a living being?'. It will cover a lot of Aristotelian philosophy of
biology esp. as it relates to the current biology, philosophy of astro- or exo-biology, and related
fields (e.g. A-life and synthetic biology). This will be a discussion-based class about what makes
a thing a living being. It will range over topics such as metaphysics, philosophy of biology,
philosophy of science, and will have a strong focus on Aristotelian accounts of what makes
something alive.
For 3000 years philosophy has grappled with whether a living being is some type of thing,
such as a living form of matter, and if so what kind of thing it is. Modern exobiology also
searched for such things. What are we to look for in an alien form of life? What makes some
thing a living thing? These topics will require us to integrate a number of historical as well as
recent perspectives on just what an organism is and how it is related to other types of
organization.

Course Goals: Explore the topics of living beings in a deeply philosophical but biologically
plausible way introducing students to some Aristotelian philosophy as well as metaphysics of
parts and wholes, and philosophy of science and biology along the way. These topics will help
us better understand what we are (in one sense of that term).

Course/Program Learning Outcomes (C/PLOs):

To support student success coherently across Philosophy coursework, these CLOs help
students to reach the following Philosophy Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Logic: Identify and assess the logic of arguments.
Identify arguments, distinguish certain types of arguments in philosophy (e.g. reductionism,
dualism, hylomorphism)
2. Topics: Identify and explain the central questions within major topics of philosophical
research.
Identify and explain at least one central question within at least three topics of philosophical
research. These include metaphysics, philosophy of biology and science

3. Ideas: Describe the contributions of major thinkers in the philosophical canon.

Describe at least one contribution for each of three of the major thinkers in the philosophical
canon. Aristotles metaphysics of living beings

Class Rules: No cell phone use or unrelated computer use in class. No significant
conversational interchanges. Asking a neighbor what was said is ok; asking for lengthy
clarification should be done with the rest of the class. Do not leave early or come late.

Classroom Civility: Each UCM student is encouraged to help create an environment during class
that promotes learning, dignity, and mutual respect for everyone. Students who speak at
inappropriate times, sleep in class, display overt inattention, take frequent breaks, interrupt the class
by coming to class late, engage in loud or distracting behaviors, use cell phones or pagers in class,
use inappropriate language, are verbally abusive, display defiance or disrespect to others, or behave
aggressively toward others could be asked to leave the class and be subjected to disciplinary action.

Policy on Academic Integrity: The University of California has outlined a general code of student
conduct that can be accessed at http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/ucpolicies/aos/uc100.html.
Go to http://admissions.ucmerced.edu/docs/ucm_policies.pdf for the UC Merced code of academic
conduct. Chapter 8 outlines policies on academic honesty. All academic work is expected to be in
compliance with this code. In the present class, any form of cheating or plagiarism is a serious
offense. Cheating includes any attempt to defraud, deceive, or mislead the instructor in arriving at an
honest grade assessment. Violation of these policies may result in a grade of F in the assignment,
or for more serious violations, a grade of F in the course, at the discretion of the instructor.

Special Needs: UCM provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to

participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with disabilities requiring
accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact the
professor as early as possible, and also contact the UCM Disability Services Center to obtain their
assistance and coordination in working with this course.

Make up policy: There are no make ups without valid and documented medical excuse. (valid
is sometimes up to the discretion of the instructor)

Evaluation/Grading Procedures: There will be a single 8-10pg (double spaces 12pt. font)
paper worth 80% of the overall grade. Due July 1st by noon. Last day of class is the 29th.
Attendance will be worth the final 5% - it is your responsibility to sign in every day x2
Informed Participation will be worth the final 15% - you must read and have the topics
understood well enough for discussion
GRADING SCALE:
99.01-100% A+
95%-99% A
90%- 94.99% A-
87--89.99% B+
83%-86.99% B
80%-82.99% B-
77%-79.99% C+
73%-76.99% C
70%-72.99% C-
67%- 69.99% D+
63%-66.99% D
60%-62.99% D-
-- 59.99% F
Topics/Schedule of Activities: SUBJECT TO REVISION
Week 1: START Aliens of the deep -chemo vs. photo synthetic life [sponges??]
Class:
1. Towards_an_Autopoietic_Redefinition_of_Life 2.5
2. The Aristotelian psyche 1-2 & 7-9 edit 3
3. Hylomorphic world view 1-2.5 & 7-9.1 4.5

4. Living beings edit [1- 7.1&7.2; 2- 7.3; 3- 7.4&7.5] 15.5

5. Bit on change and final cause; fire and nourishment 1

Class:
1. Towards_an_Autopoietic_Redefinition_of_Life 2.5
2. The Aristotelian psyche 1-2 & 7-9 edit 3
3. Hylomorphic world view 1-2.5 & 7-9.1 4.5

4. Living beings edit [1- 7.1&7.2; 2- 7.3; 3- 7.4&7.5] 15.5

5. Bit on change and final cause; fire and nourishment 1

Week 2: BIO DETAILS Abiogenesis, genetics, and evolution vs. life

Class:
1. Towards a theory of life [beginning] 2.5
2. Is a General Theory of Life Possible 1-6.1 edit 6
3. Are aliens among us 2-8 6
4. Its life isnt it? 2

5. Genetic code arbitrary? 6

6. Aristotle and modern genetics 5.5

Class:
1. Chance and necessity 1-3 2
2. Universal nature of biochem 3
3. Sterelny and Griffiths_ What is life edit 6
 4. The meaning of life edit 3

5. The Aristotelian psyche 3-6(?) 4

6. Substance and Life in Aristotle_ growing bigger 5.5
7. Pageler on Aristotelian nutrition 4
Week 3: Some modern theories
Class:
1. What is life Rosenkrantz 6.5
2. Animate beings edit Rosenkrantz 12.5
3. Life and Death Rosenkrantz 5
4. Some puzzles about suspended animation 6

Class:
1. Introduction to systems theory edit 7
2. Schrodinger what is life ch 1 1-2 6
3. On the definition of life 10
4. Redefining life eco thermo bioinfo approaches edit 7

Week 4: Digging In
Class:
1. Definition of life ch 8.5
2. Is metabolism necessary 13
3. Life as an abstract phenomenon 6.5

Class:
1. Philosophy of chemistry reading 7
2. A problem about soul-body hylomorphism 7
3. Homonymy of the body 6
4. Living bodies 86-7 2
5. Organic unity and the matter of man edit 1
6. From Blood to Flesh edit 10

Week 5: Theory and Organisms

Class:
1. Life, artificial life, and scientific explanation edit 15
2. Life without definitions edit 9.5
3. The dialectic of life shields edit 5

Class:
1. On Some Theoretical Grounds for Organism-centered Bio 4
2. Return of the Organism as a Fund. Explanatory Concept 6
3. Organismal Natures edit 6
4. Understanding the parts in terms of the whole 1.5
5. Hylomorphism & the Metabolic Closure Concept of Life 2
6. The origin of life and the definition of life 10
Week 6: Unity of living beings
Class:
1. An Aristotelian account of minimal chemical life 4
2. On Some Theoretical Grounds for Organism-centered Bio 3.5
3. On the unity of parts of organisms 1
4. On the unity of compound things living and nonliving 13
5. Aristotle on Matters of Life and Death 10

Class: TBD
Matter, Structure, and Change- Aspects of the Philosophy of Chemistry
Final paper due no later than July 1st @ noon