Papers by Charles Morphy Dias dos Santos
Why biogeographical hypotheses need a Well supported phylogenetic frameWork: a conceptual evaluat... more Why biogeographical hypotheses need a Well supported phylogenetic frameWork: a conceptual evaluation charles morphy d. santos 1,2 dalton s. amorim 1,3
Special Issue on the History and Philosophy of Astrobiology. International Journal of Astrobiolog... more Special Issue on the History and Philosophy of Astrobiology. International Journal of Astrobiology (IJA) first view online in: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000094
The establishment of cosmology as a science provides a parallel to the building-up of the scientific status of astrobiology. The rise of astrobiological studies is explicitly based on a transdisciplinary approach that reminds of the Copernican Revolution, which eroded the basis of a closed Aristotelian worldview and reinforced the notion that the frontiers between disciplines are artificial. Given the intrinsic complexity of the astrobiological studies, with its multifactorial evidences and theoretical/experimental approaches, multi-and interdisciplinary perspectives are mandatory. Insulated expertise cannot grasp the vastness of the astrobiological issues. This need for integration among disciplines and research areas is antagonistic to excessive specialization and compartmentalization, allowing astrobiology to be qualified as a truly transdisciplinary enterprise. The present paper discusses the scientific status of astrobiological studies, based on the view that every kind of life, Earth-based or not, should be considered in a cosmic context. A confluence between 'astro' and 'bio' seeks the understanding of life as an emerging phenomenon in the universe. Thus, a new epistemological niche is opened, pointing to the development of a pluralistic vision for the philosophy of astrobiology.
The influence of the evolutionary theory is widespread in modern worldview. Due to its great expl... more The influence of the evolutionary theory is widespread in modern worldview. Due to its great explanatory power and pervasiveness, the theory of evolution should be used as the organizing theme in biology teaching. For this purpose, the essential concepts of phylogenetic systematics are useful as a didactic instrument. The phylogenetic method was the first objective set of rules to implement in systematics the evolutionary view that the organisms are all connected at some hierarchical level due to common ancestry, as suggested by Darwin and Wallace. Phylogenetic systematics was firstly proposed by the German Entomologist Willi Hennig in 1950 and had considerably importance in the decrease of the role of essentialism and subjectivity in classificatory studies, becoming one of the paradigms in biological systematics. Based on cladograms, a general phylogenetic reference system allows to the depiction and representation of large amounts of biological information in branching diagrams. Besides, the phylogenetic approach sheds light upon typical misconceptions concerning evolution and related concepts that directly affect students' comprehension about the evolutionary process and the hierarchical structure of the living world. The phylogenetic method is also a form of introducing students to some of the philosophical and scientific idiosyncrasies, providing them the ability to understand concepts such as hypothesis, theory, paradigm and falsifiability. The students are incited to use arguments during the process of accepting or denying scientific hypotheses, which overcomes the mere assimilation of knowledge previously elaborated.
Introdução A teoria da evolução é o núcleo da biologia histórica. A idéia de que todos os organis... more Introdução A teoria da evolução é o núcleo da biologia histórica. A idéia de que todos os organismos do planeta (incluindo as espécies extintas e o homem) compartilham um ancestral comum em algum nível hierárquico e que, portanto, estão historicamente conectados, teve um impacto profundo no desenvolvimento da biologia a partir do século XIX. Após os trabalhos de Alfred Wallace e Charles Darwin (os artigos de 1858 e o clássico "Origem das Espécies" de 1859) e especialmente depois da fusão com as novas idéias da genética, da paleontologia e da história natural na primeira metade do século XX, a teoria da evolução transformou-se no paradigma central da biologia, influenciando inúmeras outras áreas do conhecimento humano (Mayr, 2000; Meyer & El-Hani, 2005). Nas palavras de um dos grandes evolucionistas do século XX, Ernst Mayr (2000, p. 56), "a forma como concebemos o mundo e o lugar que ocupamos nele neste início do século XXI difere radicalmente daquela vigente no início do século XIX (...) nenhum biólogo parece ter sido responsável por mais modificações -e por modificações mais drásticas para a visão de mundo de pessoas comuns -que Charles Darwin". O estabelecimento da teoria da evolução nas ciências naturais foi crucial para essa nova concepção da realidade. Por ser o arcabouço estrutural das ciências biológicas, a teoria da evolução pode funcionar também como o princípio organizador do ensino de biologia. No entanto, a abordagem tradicional nas escolas brasileiras muitas vezes não trata os temas evolutivos de maneira adequada, especialmente quando restringe seus conteúdos a uma visão limitada e descontextualizada tanto em termos históricos quanto conceituais. O estudo da evolução acaba se restringindo à contraposição Darwin versus Lamarck e a aproximações grosseiras de suas principais idéias e exemplos utilizados para ilustrá-las (Roque, 2003). A falta de cuidado na exposição da teoria acaba por se refletir em aprendizado deficiente e na perpetuação de interpretações incorretas sobre evolução e assuntos correlatos. Ao tratarem da teoria da evolução, algumas das maiores dificuldades dos professores e dos alunos relacionam-se à (1) assimilação do dimensão temporal das mudanças evolutivas, (2) reconhecimento da importância do pensamento populacional, (3) impossibilidade de se descobrir os verdadeiros grupos ancestrais dos organismos, (4) idéia de progresso na evolução e (5) relações genealógicas entre o homem e os demais animais. Essa lista converge com falsas
Books by Charles Morphy Dias dos Santos
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Papers by Charles Morphy Dias dos Santos
The establishment of cosmology as a science provides a parallel to the building-up of the scientific status of astrobiology. The rise of astrobiological studies is explicitly based on a transdisciplinary approach that reminds of the Copernican Revolution, which eroded the basis of a closed Aristotelian worldview and reinforced the notion that the frontiers between disciplines are artificial. Given the intrinsic complexity of the astrobiological studies, with its multifactorial evidences and theoretical/experimental approaches, multi-and interdisciplinary perspectives are mandatory. Insulated expertise cannot grasp the vastness of the astrobiological issues. This need for integration among disciplines and research areas is antagonistic to excessive specialization and compartmentalization, allowing astrobiology to be qualified as a truly transdisciplinary enterprise. The present paper discusses the scientific status of astrobiological studies, based on the view that every kind of life, Earth-based or not, should be considered in a cosmic context. A confluence between 'astro' and 'bio' seeks the understanding of life as an emerging phenomenon in the universe. Thus, a new epistemological niche is opened, pointing to the development of a pluralistic vision for the philosophy of astrobiology.
Books by Charles Morphy Dias dos Santos
The establishment of cosmology as a science provides a parallel to the building-up of the scientific status of astrobiology. The rise of astrobiological studies is explicitly based on a transdisciplinary approach that reminds of the Copernican Revolution, which eroded the basis of a closed Aristotelian worldview and reinforced the notion that the frontiers between disciplines are artificial. Given the intrinsic complexity of the astrobiological studies, with its multifactorial evidences and theoretical/experimental approaches, multi-and interdisciplinary perspectives are mandatory. Insulated expertise cannot grasp the vastness of the astrobiological issues. This need for integration among disciplines and research areas is antagonistic to excessive specialization and compartmentalization, allowing astrobiology to be qualified as a truly transdisciplinary enterprise. The present paper discusses the scientific status of astrobiological studies, based on the view that every kind of life, Earth-based or not, should be considered in a cosmic context. A confluence between 'astro' and 'bio' seeks the understanding of life as an emerging phenomenon in the universe. Thus, a new epistemological niche is opened, pointing to the development of a pluralistic vision for the philosophy of astrobiology.