How biological complexity changes our view of nature & science

Complex systems are built from simpler components: organisms from cells, cells from proteins, and proteins from amino acids. A common, and often successful scientific strategy is to explain a system by first explaining its parts in isolation. Is this always the best approach?

Sandra D. Mitchell (University of Pittsburgh) will explore the ways complex systems in biology emerge from their parts, and the role that both historical contingency and dynamic adaptation play in reshaping our understanding of scientific explanation in the life sciences.