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A Critical Overview of Biological FunctionsAlternative Accounts of Function

A Critical Overview of Biological Functions: Alternative Accounts of Function [In this chapter, I consider three theories of function that are relatively new, in the sense that they have been developed over the last twenty years. The “weak etiological theory” says, roughly, that a trait token in an organism has a function so long as that kind of trait contributed to the fitness of that organism’s ancestors and it is inherited. It defines function in terms of inheritance and past contributions to fitness, but not selection. I assess some differences between this theory and the standard selected effects account and question the motivation for the account. A second group of theories is known as the “systems-theoretic” or “organizational” view. 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 that very token contributes to a complex, organized, system, and thereby to its own continued persistence, as a token. I argue that the organizational approach faces liberality problems. Finally, the modal theory of function holds that the function of a trait token has to do with the behavior of that token in certain nearby possible worlds. I assess the theory and survey some problems. Bence Nanay developed the modal theory as an attempt to solve a certain circularity problem that he believes afflicts most other theories of function, but it is not clear whether there is a real problem here to be resolved.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A Critical Overview of Biological FunctionsAlternative Accounts of Function

Part of the SpringerBriefs in Philosophy Book Series
Garson, Justin
Springer Journals — Mar 31, 2016
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Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2016
ISBN
978-3-319-32018-2
Pages
97 –108
DOI
10.1007/978-3-319-32020-5_6
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[In this chapter, I consider three theories of function that are relatively new, in the sense that they have been developed over the last twenty years. The “weak etiological theory” says, roughly, that a trait token in an organism has a function so long as that kind of trait contributed to the fitness of that organism’s ancestors and it is inherited. It defines function in terms of inheritance and past contributions to fitness, but not selection. I assess some differences between this theory and the standard selected effects account and question the motivation for the account. A second group of theories is known as the “systems-theoretic” or “organizational” view. 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 that very token contributes to a complex, organized, system, and thereby to its own continued persistence, as a token. I argue that the organizational approach faces liberality problems. Finally, the modal theory of function holds that the function of a trait token has to do with the behavior of that token in certain nearby possible worlds. I assess the theory and survey some problems. Bence Nanay developed the modal theory as an attempt to solve a certain circularity problem that he believes afflicts most other theories of function, but it is not clear whether there is a real problem here to be resolved.]

Published: Mar 31, 2016

Keywords: Weak etiological theory of function; Organizational functions; Systems-theoretic functions; Modal theory of function; Biological trait

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