Reductionism in biology

an example of biochemistry

Mehmet Elgin

pp. 195-203

in: Friedrich Stadler (ed), The present situation in the philosophy of science, Berlin, Springer, 2010

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that the multiple realizability argument against reductionism does not work in biochemistry and that biochemistry as a reductionist project is a progressive research program. Since the anti-reductionist argument that appeals to the multiple realizability thesis doesn't work and since biochemistry that incorporates the principle that biological functions of biomolecules in living cells can be understood in terms of chemical and physical properties of those molecules is a progressive research program, I conclude that plausibility of reductionism is still worthy of further study.