Garson, Justin (2017) Against Organizational Functions. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Over the last 20 years, several philosophers developed a new approach to biological functions, the organizational (or systems-theoretic) approach. This is not a single theory but a family of theories based on the idea that a trait token can acquire a function by virtue of the way it contributes to a complex, organized, system, and thereby to its own continued persistence, as a token. I argue that the organizational approach faces a serious liberality objection. I examine three different ways organizational theorists have tried to avoid that objection and show how they fail.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Garson, Justin
Keywords:	Philosophy of biology; biological function; organizational functions; systems theory; selected effects
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Medicine > Psychiatry Specific Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Dr. Justin Garson
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2017 00:38
Last Modified:	27 May 2019 10:08
Item ID:	12757
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Medicine > Psychiatry Specific Sciences > Psychology
Date:	December 2017
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12757

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• Against Organizational Functions. (deposited 02 Nov 2016 14:47)
  • Against Organizational Functions. (deposited 15 Jan 2017 00:38) [Currently Displayed]

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