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Niall Shanks

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to the fact that humans and their nonhuman models have taken divergent evolutionary trajectories, and are thus not qualitatively identical systems (once compensation has been made for purely quantitative differences in body weight, for example). Put bluntly, the prediction problem boils down to this: if mice are not men writ small, under what conditions do we expect experimental results on mice to have informational value for human biomedical phenomena? Two of Shanks' essays have generated some interest in this puzzle.
375:. In the course of his explorations of the implications of the study of animals for the modern scientific view of the world, Shanks has explored the issue of animal consciousness and the question as to what, if anything, science can teach us about the mental lives of animals. Shanks has argued that there is no straightforward fact of the matter to settle disputes between those who have a very generous view of the mental lives of animals (for example, in some versions of 323:, and the problem of the construction of classical models (models exhibiting the properties of determinateness and determinism) for quantum measurement statistics. Shanks argued that the various no-hidden-variables proofs rested on questionable assumptions which a classical modeller could plausibly deny. Shanks would later argue that local deterministic models were indeed possible for the puzzling quantum spin correlation statistics that were used to characterise 68: 27: 170: 363:. He has argued that animal experimentation provided a crucial driving force behind the method of analysis and synthesis that would come to play a central role in the emergence of the physico-chemical sciences in the 17th and 18th centuries. According to Shanks, the development of modern science flows from 495:
to explore human biomedical phenomena by performing experiments on nonhuman animals and then extrapolating the results to humans (animals play many roles in biomedical research, but one important role is as predictors of human biomedical phenomena). Shanks claims that a prediction problem exists due
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Shanks' early research interests were focused on issues in the philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics. He later wrote about the case against Intelligent Design and actively defended evolution. Beginning in the 1990s he explored the implications of evolutionary biology for biomedical research
371:, and not the reverse as is commonly supposed. Physics would ultimately come to have profound implications for physiology, and these matters are explored by Shanks in his work on the writings of the great 19th century French physiologist, 387:). Shanks has argued that disputes about these matters hinge not on appeals to the facts, but rather on disputes about what the relevant facts are, and where these disputes do not themselves admit of a straightforward factual resolution. 467:. It is now generally recognised that the implications evolutionary biology for medicine must be taken into account if modern medical inquiry is to be placed on a sound theoretical foundation. The great population geneticist 302:
and was actively involved in this until his death. Shanks was also interested in the history of medicine and the role played by medicine in the scientific revolutions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
472: 287: 335:, 1993, vol. 43, 170:20–37) summarises his arguments in an accessible manner. At this point in time, working with W. David Sharp, Shanks examined some puzzles concerning 563: 658: 653: 668: 475:." This is especially true of modern medicine. Shanks has argued that evolutionary biology is highly important when considering the so-called 343:
that counterfactual interpretations of quantum spin measurements could not be reconciled with the validated predictions of quantum mechanics.
673: 180: 275:, Canada in 1987. Shanks moved to the United States in 1987. For a number of years Shanks was a member of the Department of Philosophy at 191: 598: 279:, where he also held positions in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He then moved to 291: 227: 209: 151: 54: 663: 276: 89: 132: 643: 85: 40: 104: 408: 411:
is rooted in bad science, bad theology and a radical right-wing social agenda. His views may be found in his book,
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In addition, Shanks has written over fifty scholarly articles and is also the author of numerous book reviews.
280: 298:. In 1993 he served a term as President of the Tennessee Philosophical Association. He died on 13 July 2011. 118: 432: 415:. Shanks conducted numerous public debates with creationists and advocates of intelligent design, including 316: 268: 100: 468: 464: 272: 184:
that states a Knowledge (XXG) editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.
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Shanks served a term as President (2008–09) of the Southwest and Rocky Mountain Division of the
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See W.D. Sharp and N. Shanks, 1993, "The Rise and Fall of Time-Symmetrized Quantum Mechanics",
452: 324: 320: 295: 46: 484: 420: 243:(18 January 1959 – 13 July 2011) was an English philosopher and critic of 125: 574: 463:
Shanks made contributions to debates on topics in what may be broadly characterised as
383:), and those who favour minimalistic cognitive estimates (for example, some species of 380: 372: 283:
where he was the Curtis D. Gridley Professor in the History and Philosophy of Science.
260: 627: 613:, written with Rebecca Pyles, Ph.D., and "Are Animal Models Predictive for Humans", 492: 436: 428: 479:
in biomedical research. It has become common scientific practice in research in
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Shanks has explored the role played by animal experimentation in the contexts of
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in a purely naturalistic account of biological and cosmological phenomena.
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Prominent defender of evolution joins Wichita State University Staff
271:. Shanks left England for Canada in 1981 and earned his PhD at the 538:, co-authored with C. Ray Greek. Boca Raton, FL: Brown Walker 2009. 530:
God, the Devil, and Darwin: A Critique of Intelligent Design Theory
451:. In addition to evolution, Shanks emphasised the role played by 473:
nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution
163: 61: 20: 520:, N. Shanks and R.B. Gardner (Eds.). Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2000. 327:(a modern incarnation of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox 609:
See "Evolution and Medicine: The Long Reach of Dr. Darwin",
508:, co-authored with Hugh LaFollette. London: Routledge, 1996. 181:
personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay
331:). Shanks' essay, "Quantum Mechanics and Determinism" ( 187: 16:
English philosopher and critic of intelligent design
617:, written with Ray Greek, MD., and Jean Greek, DVM. 339:of quantum mechanics. This work culminated in the 288:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
92:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 506:Brute Science: Dilemmas of Animal Experimentation 294:for ten years; and an honorary board member of 439:conclusions on the basis of either biological 8: 290:; He was vice-president and board member of 524:Animals and Science: A Guide to the Debates 514:, N. Shanks (Ed.). Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1998. 403:(and its recent incarnation in the form of 315:Shanks early work was focused on so-called 55:Learn how and when to remove these messages 532:. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. 431:. Shanks is an advocate of methodological 559: 557: 555: 228:Learn how and when to remove this message 210:Learn how and when to remove this message 152:Learn how and when to remove this message 551: 536:Animal Models in the Light of Evolution 7: 615:http://www.peh-med.com/content/4/1/2 611:http://www.peh-med.com/content/2/1/4 526:. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002. 512:Idealization in Contemporary Physics 90:adding citations to reliable sources 347:Animals, science and animal science 659:21st-century Canadian philosophers 654:20th-century Canadian philosophers 407:theology). Shanks argued that the 14: 669:People educated at Rossall School 395:Shanks was a staunch defender of 292:Americans For Medical Advancement 36:This article has multiple issues. 168: 66: 25: 599:Who made us? What do you think? 435:and has argued against drawing 319:of non-relativistic elementary 277:East Tennessee State University 77:needs additional citations for 44:or discuss these issues on the 518:Logic, Probability and Science 337:counterfactual interpretations 1: 674:University of Alberta alumni 409:intelligent design movement 399:and a vehement opponent of 259:, England, was educated at 690: 425:Paul Nelson (creationist) 413:God, The Devil and Darwin 379:derived from the work of 281:Wichita State University 333:Philosophical Quarterly 317:hidden-variables theory 269:University of Liverpool 664:Critics of creationism 459:Evolution and medicine 341:Sharp and Shanks proof 190:by rewriting it in an 587:Philosophy of Science 469:Theodosius Dobzhansky 465:evolutionary medicine 273:University of Alberta 644:English philosophers 471:once remarked that " 397:evolutionary biology 367:(i.e., medicine) to 86:improve this article 449:fine-tuned universe 265:University of Leeds 263:, and later at the 255:Shanks was born in 589:, vol. 60:488–499. 477:prediction problem 405:intelligent design 377:cognitive ethology 245:intelligent design 192:encyclopedic style 179:is written like a 575:Niall Shanks dies 453:self-organization 321:quantum mechanics 296:Internet Infidels 238: 237: 230: 220: 219: 212: 162: 161: 154: 136: 59: 681: 649:English sceptics 618: 607: 601: 596: 590: 583: 577: 572: 566: 561: 485:drug development 233: 226: 215: 208: 204: 201: 195: 172: 171: 164: 157: 150: 146: 143: 137: 135: 94: 70: 62: 51: 29: 28: 21: 689: 688: 684: 683: 682: 680: 679: 678: 624: 623: 622: 621: 608: 604: 597: 593: 584: 580: 573: 569: 562: 553: 548: 502: 461: 447:concerning the 421:William Dembski 393: 349: 313: 308: 253: 234: 223: 222: 221: 216: 205: 199: 196: 188:help improve it 185: 173: 169: 158: 147: 141: 138: 95: 93: 83: 71: 30: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 687: 685: 677: 676: 671: 666: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 636: 626: 625: 620: 619: 602: 591: 578: 567: 550: 549: 547: 544: 540: 539: 533: 527: 521: 515: 509: 501: 498: 460: 457: 443:or puzzles in 392: 389: 381:Donald Griffin 373:Claude Bernard 348: 345: 325:Bell's Theorem 312: 311:Quantum theory 309: 307: 304: 261:Rossall School 252: 249: 236: 235: 218: 217: 176: 174: 167: 160: 159: 101:"Niall Shanks" 74: 72: 65: 60: 34: 33: 31: 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 686: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 660: 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 631: 629: 616: 612: 606: 603: 600: 595: 592: 588: 582: 579: 576: 571: 568: 565: 560: 558: 556: 552: 545: 543: 537: 534: 531: 528: 525: 522: 519: 516: 513: 510: 507: 504: 503: 499: 497: 494: 490: 486: 482: 478: 474: 470: 466: 458: 456: 454: 450: 446: 442: 438: 434: 430: 426: 422: 418: 414: 410: 406: 402: 398: 390: 388: 386: 382: 378: 374: 370: 366: 362: 358: 354: 346: 344: 342: 338: 334: 330: 326: 322: 318: 310: 305: 303: 299: 297: 293: 289: 284: 282: 278: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 250: 248: 246: 242: 232: 229: 214: 211: 203: 200:December 2014 193: 189: 183: 182: 177:This article 175: 166: 165: 156: 153: 145: 134: 131: 127: 124: 120: 117: 113: 110: 106: 103: –  102: 98: 97:Find sources: 91: 87: 81: 80: 75:This article 73: 69: 64: 63: 58: 56: 49: 48: 43: 42: 37: 32: 23: 22: 19: 605: 594: 586: 581: 570: 541: 535: 529: 523: 517: 511: 505: 500:Publications 493:therapeutics 476: 462: 437:supernatural 429:Michael Behe 412: 394: 368: 364: 350: 340: 336: 332: 314: 300: 285: 254: 241:Niall Shanks 240: 239: 224: 206: 197: 178: 148: 139: 129: 122: 115: 108: 96: 84:Please help 79:verification 76: 52: 45: 39: 38:Please help 35: 18: 639:2011 deaths 634:1959 births 401:creationism 391:Creationism 385:behaviorism 361:renaissance 359:during the 329:EPR paradox 628:Categories 546:References 481:toxicology 441:complexity 433:naturalism 417:Duane Gish 357:physiology 112:newspapers 41:improve it 489:pathology 445:cosmology 142:June 2011 47:talk page 306:Research 267:and the 257:Cheshire 369:physics 353:anatomy 186:Please 126:scholar 365:physik 251:Career 128:  121:  114:  107:  99:  133:JSTOR 119:books 491:and 427:and 355:and 105:news 88:by 630:: 554:^ 487:, 483:, 423:, 419:, 247:. 50:. 231:) 225:( 213:) 207:( 202:) 198:( 194:. 155:) 149:( 144:) 140:( 130:· 123:· 116:· 109:· 82:. 57:) 53:(

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