Karola Stotz is a contemporary philosopher of biology and cognitive science known for her work on genetics, epigenetics, and the philosophy of development. She has collaborated extensively with Paul Griffiths on questions concerning the nature of genes, inheritance, and the extended evolutionary synthesis. Her research bridges empirical biology and conceptual analysis, particularly on how biological categories are constructed and revised.
Co-developed an empirically-informed account of the gene concept challenging classical molecular definitions
Contributed to the extended evolutionary synthesis by analyzing developmental and epigenetic inheritance
Applied philosophy of science methods to psychiatric and behavioral genetics, including the interpretation of association studies
Examined how scientific classifications of biological and psychological conditions are shaped by and feed back into empirical research