Frédéric Bouchard is a Canadian philosopher of biology at the Université de Montréal whose work centers on evolutionary theory, fitness, and the units and levels of selection. He has critically examined the theoretical foundations of natural selection, arguing that standard formulations obscure important questions about what entities evolve and why. His research bridges philosophy of science, metaphysics of biology, and questions about the nature of organisms and ecosystems.
Developed a fitness-centered critique of standard accounts of natural selection
Advanced the debate on levels and units of selection, including ecosystem-level selection
Argued for reconceptualizing organisms and colonies as legitimate evolutionary individuals
Contributed to the philosophy of ecology by examining the evolutionary status of non-reproducing entities
Coedited influential work on the individuality of biological organisms