51K views · 666 reactions | Can biology be explained entirely in terms of chemistry and then physics? If so, that’s “reductionism.” Or are there “emergent” properties at higher levels of the hierarchy of life that cannot be explained by properties at lower or more basic levels? Alan C. Love, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. He also serves as director of the Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science. | Closer To Truth | Facebook

The battle between reductionism and emergence has been a long standing tension in physics, philosophy and biology. We ask Michael Ruse, renowned philosopher of biology, for his thoughts on the tension and how these two schools of thought interpret our world. Michael Ruse is the Lucyle T. Wekmeister Professor and Director of the History and Philosophy of Science Program at Florida State University. | Closer To Truth