Why the Small Things in Life Matter: Philosophy of Biology from the Microbial Perspective

Abstract

And it is not only for physicists. In her book, Philosophy of Microbiology, Maureen O’Malley invites philosophers of biology to look more closely and more intensely at the lessons that microbes can teach them. Even those who are not easily impressed by the scientific venues that this book ventures into cannot remain entirely immune to the breadth of debates and questions, both current and historical, that the book addresses in less than 280 pages. O’Malley’s daring hypothesis is that looking “at the bottom” may not only hold important answers to vexing philosophical questions but also lead to the reorientation of philosophical discussions and to the reconceptualization of central topics in biology. A general lesson of the book is that it matters not only what ðphilosophicalÞ questions we are asking but also where we are looking for the answers.