Daniel J Nicholson
@djnicholson.bsky.social
Integrating the History, Philosophy, & Theory of Biology
Pinned
<i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
Cambridge Core - Philosophy: General Interest - <i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
www.cambridge.org
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
When I presented my research on Schrödinger at CSHL, everyone was surprised to find Jim Watson seated up front in what was apparently his first public appearance since the pandemic. During my talk, he snored so loudly that he woke himself up, and in the Q&A he loudly described my argument as "Crap!"
November 8, 2025 at 8:57 AM
When I presented my research on Schrödinger at CSHL, everyone was surprised to find Jim Watson seated up front in what was apparently his first public appearance since the pandemic. During my talk, he snored so loudly that he woke himself up, and in the Q&A he loudly described my argument as "Crap!"
Last chance to download my book for free! It's still available until tomorrow.
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
October 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Last chance to download my book for free! It's still available until tomorrow.
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
Daniel‘s lectures at our GSK Cancer Science Graduate School are always a curriculum highlight! Contemplating the implicit assumptions of modern biological science can foster new ways of thinking, as some of our old go-to concepts become unwieldy and show their limitations. Students loved it!
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
October 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Daniel‘s lectures at our GSK Cancer Science Graduate School are always a curriculum highlight! Contemplating the implicit assumptions of modern biological science can foster new ways of thinking, as some of our old go-to concepts become unwieldy and show their limitations. Students loved it!
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
<i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
Cambridge Core - Philosophy: General Interest - <i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
www.cambridge.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
If you missed that great Cognizing life conference in Tubingen organized by Christoph Hueck two weeks ago, here are the videos of the presentations. Talks by Denis Walsh, Joan Steigerwald, Dan Nicholson and many others.
 www.clc2025.de/videos
 www.clc2025.de/videos
August 2, 2025 at 9:22 PM
If you missed that great Cognizing life conference in Tubingen organized by Christoph Hueck two weeks ago, here are the videos of the presentations. Talks by Denis Walsh, Joan Steigerwald, Dan Nicholson and many others.
 www.clc2025.de/videos
 www.clc2025.de/videos
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
Weds 14:30/16:30 #ISHPSSB2025 - Biological Variation: Theory and Practice
With @djnicholson.bsky.social, Marlene van den Bos, Alan C. Love, Staffan Müller-Wille, Greg Radick, @rosetrappes.bsky.social, Cristina Villegas
Explore variation across distinct epistemic & ontological frameworks with us!
With @djnicholson.bsky.social, Marlene van den Bos, Alan C. Love, Staffan Müller-Wille, Greg Radick, @rosetrappes.bsky.social, Cristina Villegas
Explore variation across distinct epistemic & ontological frameworks with us!
July 22, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Weds 14:30/16:30 #ISHPSSB2025 - Biological Variation: Theory and Practice
With @djnicholson.bsky.social, Marlene van den Bos, Alan C. Love, Staffan Müller-Wille, Greg Radick, @rosetrappes.bsky.social, Cristina Villegas
Explore variation across distinct epistemic & ontological frameworks with us!
With @djnicholson.bsky.social, Marlene van den Bos, Alan C. Love, Staffan Müller-Wille, Greg Radick, @rosetrappes.bsky.social, Cristina Villegas
Explore variation across distinct epistemic & ontological frameworks with us!
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
Looking forward to the "Cognizing Life Conference 2025", 16.-19. July! With talks by @djnicholson.bsky.social, @dalianassar.bsky.social, @gregoryrupik.bsky.social, @philippehune.bsky.social and many more! You can participate online, all info here: www.clc2025.de
#HPBio #PhilSci #HistSci
#HPBio #PhilSci #HistSci
July 15, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Looking forward to the "Cognizing Life Conference 2025", 16.-19. July! With talks by @djnicholson.bsky.social, @dalianassar.bsky.social, @gregoryrupik.bsky.social, @philippehune.bsky.social and many more! You can participate online, all info here: www.clc2025.de
#HPBio #PhilSci #HistSci
#HPBio #PhilSci #HistSci
Every biological entity is unique; no two are exactly alike. Is this a trivial observation, or a profound metaphysical claim about the living world? Read my new paper & find out! It deals with Mayr's "Population Thinking"; one of the most familiar yet tragically misunderstood ideas in all of biology
Population Thinking and the Uniqueness of Biological Entities - Acta Biotheoretica
Acta Biotheoretica - The concept of ‘population thinking’ was introduced by Ernst Mayr in the mid-twentieth century and it has since become one of the most pervasive notions in the...
link.springer.com
June 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Every biological entity is unique; no two are exactly alike. Is this a trivial observation, or a profound metaphysical claim about the living world? Read my new paper & find out! It deals with Mayr's "Population Thinking"; one of the most familiar yet tragically misunderstood ideas in all of biology
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
This is a very NEAT piece about biomolecular condensates from @philipcball.bsky.social chronicling fascinating discoveries. On the philosophical implications of a lot of this you should read @djnicholson.bsky.social.
A brief ego thread on how this relates to my work on genomes follows. 1/4
A brief ego thread on how this relates to my work on genomes follows. 1/4
Mysterious Blobs in Cells Are Changing the Way We Understand Life
Tiny specks called biomolecular condensates are leading to a new understanding of the cell
www.scientificamerican.com
January 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
This is a very NEAT piece about biomolecular condensates from @philipcball.bsky.social chronicling fascinating discoveries. On the philosophical implications of a lot of this you should read @djnicholson.bsky.social.
A brief ego thread on how this relates to my work on genomes follows. 1/4
A brief ego thread on how this relates to my work on genomes follows. 1/4
Reposted by Daniel J Nicholson
Just came across @djnicholson.bsky.social's wonderful biography of one of my favorite biologists,E. S. Russell. philpapers.org/archive/NICE...
September 29, 2024 at 7:35 PM
Just came across @djnicholson.bsky.social's wonderful biography of one of my favorite biologists,E. S. Russell. philpapers.org/archive/NICE...