New Books Network Ellen Clarke, "The Units of Life: Kinds of Individual in Biology" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Feb 10, 2026
Ellen Clarke, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Leeds and author of The Units of Life, explores what counts as a biological individual. She uses starfish, plants, and mergers like mitochondria to challenge ordinary boundaries. Short takes cover mechanisms that enforce common fate, how scientists pick counting units, and why multicellularity and social groups complicate evolutionary bookkeeping.
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From Science Lover To Philosopher
- Clarke recounts her path: love of science, switching to philosophy to keep options open, and a PhD with Samir Akasha on individuality.
- She credits Leeds' philosophy of biology community for pushing her toward metaphysical work.
Starfish Fission Challenges Boundaries
- Clarke uses fissioning starfish as a vivid example where one organism literally splits and both halves regenerate.
- The case forces questions about when a single organism becomes two separate evolutionary individuals.
Pick Fitness Units By Lineage Details
- Biologists should choose fitness units case-by-case, informed by lineage-specific developmental mechanisms.
- Clarke advises attention to particulars like modularity to avoid wrong counts and bad predictions.
