Causation and Reduction in Systems Biology

Prosjektet har undersøkt vitenskapelige forklaringer i livsvitenskap og tar særlig for seg forståelsen av årsaks-virkningsforhold i biologiske systemer. Kompleksiteten i levende systemer utfordrer utbredte teorier om kausalitet. Vi har utviklet en ny forståelse av årsaksbegreper som i større grad tar hensyn til hvor kontekstavhengige mange biologiske årsakshypoteser er. Vi har bidratt med en teori om kausal relevans der vi formulerer mange forskjellige og presise kausalbegreper som gjør det mulig evaluere forskjeller mellom årsaker ved å definere forskjellige typer av kausal relevans. Vi har også analysert begreper om spesifisitet og modularitet i forskning på komplekse levende systemer. Et viktig mål har være å bidra både til filosofisk fornyelse og begrepsutvikling innen naturvitenskapen. Prosjektet har samarbeider nasjonalt og internasjonalt med både filosofer og systembiologer, og har hatt en interdisiplinær tilnærming til filosofisk-biologiske problemer.

-The project has influenced the current philosophical debate on causation through novel contributions published in high-impact journals. -The project has impacted the life sciences. We have had extensive exchange with systems biologist and, as a consequence of working with this project, the project leader has also had the opportunity to engage in several new collaborations with life science researchers. Both project researchers were central in establishing the Centre for Philosophy and Sciences at the University of Oslo. The main goal of this centre is to facilitate collaborations between humanities and the sciences. -The project leader secured a permanent position at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo, during the course of the project. -The project has increased the competence on the philosophy of causation in Norway as well as increasing the competence regarding interdisciplinarity and cross-over research.

The project Causation and Reduction in Systems Biology (CRedS) aims to be a ground-breaking philosophy of science project where philosophers will, in close contact with natural scientists, contribute to the formation of theoretical foundations for the new and expanding biological discipline of Systems Biology. The project will be based at the University of Oslo, and will have a wide network facilitating both national, Nordic and international collaboration. The project has a strong profile regarding qua lity of research, collaboration between young and experienced researchers, interdisciplinarity, international collaboration, and equal opportunities. The research will contribute to philosophy of systems biology and to philosophy of science, more specific ally to the the research on causation and reduction in the life sciences. The specific research theme will be causation and levels in complex biological systems. The main goal is to develop novel accounts of causation and reduction in the light of systems biology research with a special attention to the concept of modularity. Treating biological parts and networks as modules and as separable causes of organism behavior can be problematic, and we investigate this problem with the aim to develop and improve accounts of causation and reduction. We apply to fund PI salary and one researcher position in addition to some meetings and travel.