Griffiths, Paul Edmund (2005) Function, Homology and Character Individuation. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Many philosophers believe that 1) most uses of functional language in biology make implicit reference to natural selection and 2) the fundamental way in which biologists identify parts and processes in organisms is by their selected function(s). Both these claims are mistaken. Much functional language in biology refers to actual causal roles, and if this were not so, biology would be impossible. The extensive biological literature on the ‘character concept’ focuses on another principle of biological identity, namely homology. I outline some of this work and use it to refute philosophical arguments for the importance and ubiquity of classification by adaptive function.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Griffiths, Paul Edmund
Keywords:	etiological theory proper function causal role causal analysis millikan neander cummins cladistics homology character
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology
Depositing User:	Professor Paul Edmund Griffiths
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2005
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:13
Item ID:	2351
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Developmental Biology Specific Sciences > Biology > Function/Teleology
Date:	July 2005
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/2351

Available Versions of this Item

• Function, Homology and Character Individuation. (deposited 03 Jul 2005) [Currently Displayed]
  • Function, Homology and Character Individuation. (deposited 16 Mar 2006)
  • Function, Homology and Character Individuation. (deposited 30 Aug 2005)

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