Dear all,
You are warmly invited to the next MQ Philosophy Work in Progress (WIP) seminar which will be given by *Paul Griffiths (University of Sydney)* The details are as follows: Date: Tuesday 15th of September Time: 13:00-14:00 Room: 17WW 113 Zoom Link: *https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/86932261160?pwd=k5qDEdWLQa9hfux1D3bhduEaaNt3U5.1* <https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmacquarie.zoom.us%2Fj%2F86932261160%3Fpwd%3Dk5qDEdWLQa9hfux1D3bhduEaaNt3U5.1&data=05%7C02%7Cemily.hughes%40mq.edu.au%7C1d6fbee3b31042beec2008df0a67d99b%7C82c514c1a7174087be06d40d2070ad52%7C0%7C0%7C639241113545388747%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AHQVHdO246a2nRTfAWRZ2OgZnW67R%2FhUsdouKo%2FXG6k%3D&reserved=0> *Title: Biological sexes are life-history stages* *Abstract: *Biologists define sex by ‘anisogamy’ - “The biological definition of the two sexes is simple: biologically, the female sex is defined as the adult phenotype that produces the larger gametes in anisogamous systems, while the male sex is the adult phenotype that produces the smaller gametes.” (de Vries and Lehtonen 2023, 928). After noting some ways in which this definition has been misunderstood in the philosophical literature, this paper defends three claims about biological sexes defined by anisogamy. First, sexes are life-history stages: collections of phenotypic traits which implement a stage in an evolved life-history strategy. This is most obvious in sequential hermaphrodites, but is equally true of species that only develop one sex during their life cycle. Second, sex-determination is a process. The operation of a ‘sex determination mechanism’ does not instantly create a sexual phenotype. Sex determination mechanisms initiate developmental processes that result in the development of one or more sexual phenotypes later in the life-cycle. Third, because sex determination is an extended developmental process many factors can interfere with it, and some biological individuals do not follow the standard patterns of sexual development in their species. In some cases there is no strictly biological rationale for describing the resulting ‘idiosyncratic’ phenotype as male, female or hermaphrodite. Biology can explain why development has departed from a typical life-cycle but when asked for the ‘real’ biological sex of the individual, biology should answer ‘it is what it is’. Further information about the seminar series including details on future talks can be found at the seminar webpage: *https://mqphilosophy.github.io/seminars/* <https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmqphilosophy.github.io%2Fseminars%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cemily.hughes%40mq.edu.au%7C1d6fbee3b31042beec2008df0a67d99b%7C82c514c1a7174087be06d40d2070ad52%7C0%7C0%7C639241113545403809%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Wn6K99dZ%2BJ9OM%2F3bKt4kcJ307B9pgjVFpRvrpsO6tkA%3D&reserved=0> We look forward to seeing you there. *Dr Emily Hughes *(she/her) ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Fellow in Philosophy School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts Michael Kirby Building, 17 Wally's Walk Level 2, Room 233 Macquarie University – Wallumattagal Campus, Dharug Country NSW 2109 Australia E: [email protected] W: https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/emily-hughes *I acknowledge that Macquarie University stands on the land of the Dharug Nation, land that was never ceded. I pay my respects to the Dharug people, the Wallumattagal clan, and their Elders past and present. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.* --------- SydPhil mailing list To unsubscribe, change your membership options, find answers to common problems, or visit our online archives, please go to the list information page: https://mailman.sydney.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/sydphil
