DiFrisco, James and Ramsey, Grant (2023) Adaptationism and Trait Individuation. Philosophy of Science, 90 (5). pp. 1234-1243.

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Abstract

Adaptationism is often taken to be the thesis that most traits are adaptations. In order to assess this thesis, it seems we must be able to establish either an exhaustive set of all traits or a representative sample of this set. Either task requires a more systematic and principled way of individuating traits than is currently available. Moreover, different trait individuation criteria can make adaptationism turn out true or false. For instance, individuation based on natural selection may render adaptationism true, but may do so by presupposing adaptationism. In this paper, we show how adaptationism depends on trait individuation and that the latter is an open and unsolved problem.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID DiFrisco, James james.difrisco@gmail.com 0000-0001-9600-1013 Ramsey, Grant grant@theramseylab.org 0000-0002-8712-5521
Keywords:	Adaptation, adaptationism. trait, individuation, function, selection
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics
Depositing User:	Dr. Grant Ramsey
Date Deposited:	03 Jan 2024 20:55
Last Modified:	03 Jan 2024 20:55
Item ID:	22905
Journal or Publication Title:	Philosophy of Science
Publisher:	University of Chicago Press
Official URL:	https://doi.org/10.1017/psa.2023.28
DOI or Unique Handle:	https://doi.org/10.1017/psa.2023.28
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics
Date:	December 2023
Page Range:	pp. 1234-1243
Volume:	90
Number:	5
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/22905

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• Adaptationism and Trait Individuation. (deposited 18 Jan 2023 17:59)
  • Adaptationism and Trait Individuation. (deposited 03 Jan 2024 20:55) [Currently Displayed]

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