Assistant Professor
Philosophy Department
College of Arts
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON, N1G-2W1
Stefan is a philosopher of science with broad interests in evolutionary biology, ecology, the history and philosophy of psychology and the study of animal minds.
PhD Philosophy, Duke University.
MSc Biology, State University of New York, Binghamton.
B.A. Philosophy, Simon Fraser University.
Evolution and human nature
Everyone agrees that the nature/nurture dichotomy is a false one. Yet, there is a stubborn tendency both in everyday speech and in scientific discourse to retain these categories. For example, behaviours are often categorized as either innate or learned, or as either biological or cultural. This project investigates how and why people employ these categories, and proposes strategies for transcending them.
Theoretical models and concepts in ecology and conservation
This projects investigates the role of theory in ecology and conservation. In particular I am interested in the various ways that models are employed as tools in ecological science, and how this practice is shaped by both the nature of its subject matter and by socio-political factors. A related project explores alternative conceptions of biodiversity, and the way that they are tailored to particular epistemic and normative goals.
Selected Articles
Linquist, S., E. Machery, P.E. Griffiths & K. Stotz (2011), “Exploring the folkbiological conception of human nature,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences. Vol. 366 (1563): 444-454.
Griffiths, P. E. Machery and S. Linquist (2009), “The vernacular concept of innateness,” Mind and Language 24(5): 605-630.
Colyvan, M., S. Linquist, W. Grey, P.E. Griffiths, J. Odenbaugh & H.P. Possingham (2009), “Philosophical issues in ecology: Recent trends and future directions,” Ecology and Society 14(22): 1-12.
Linquist, S. (2008) “But is it progress? On the alleged advances of conservation biology over ecology.” Biology and Philosophy, 23: 529–544.
Linquist, S. (2007) “Prospects for a dual inheritance model of emotional evolution”, Philosophy of Science, 74: 848–859.
Linquist, S. & Rosenberg, A.(2007) “Return of the Tabula Rasa,” Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 74(2): 476–497.
Rosenberg, A & Linquist, S. (2005) “On the original contract: Evolutionary game theory and human evolution,” Analyse & Kritik, 27(1): 136–157.
Edited Volumes
Linquist, Stefan (2010), The Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology: Volume I. Ashgate Publishing: Surrey, England (616 pages).
Linquist, Stefan & Levy, Neil (2010), Evolutionary Psychology: Volume II. Ashgate Publishing: Surrey, England (456 pages).
Linquist, Stefan (2010), The Evolution of Culture: Volume IV. Ashgate Publishing: Surrey, England (538 pages).
