Abstractions, Idealizations, and Evolutionary Biology

Many philosophers agree that idealization and abstraction are key aspects of science, especially scientific work based on the construction and assessment of models. And while much of the initial philosophical work in this area was concerned with physics, it has become clear that biology, especially evolutionary biology, is another area in which these phenomena play a very significant role. But despite a consensus on the importance of idealization and abstraction, there is not much consensus on what these things are, and what exactly they achieve. Here I will take the opportunity to offer some general ideas about idealization, abstraction, and the relations between them, emphasizing applications to evolutionary theory.