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Genetic traits and causal explanation

Northcott, Robert (2012) Genetic traits and causal explanation. Philosophy of Behavioral Biology. pp. 65-82.

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Abstract

I use a contrastive theory of causal explanation to analyze the notion of a genetic trait. The resulting definition is relational, an implication of which is that no trait is genetic always and everywhere. Rather, every trait may be either genetic or non-genetic, depending on explanatory context. I also outline some other advantages of connecting the debate to the wider causation literature, including how that yields us an account of the distinction between genetic traits and genetic dispositions.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Northcott, Robertr.northcott@bbk.ac.uk
Keywords: genes; genetic traits; genetic dispositions; environment; causal explanation
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
Depositing User: Dr Robert Northcott
Date Deposited: 29 Nov 2018 17:08
Last Modified: 29 Nov 2018 17:08
Item ID: 15395
Journal or Publication Title: Philosophy of Behavioral Biology
Publisher: Springer: Boston Studies in Philosophy of Science
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
Date: 2012
Page Range: pp. 65-82
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15395

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