Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
This authoritative book, written by the leading experts in the field of the philosophy of biology, brings together the defining literature in the debate concerning proper analysis of teleological concepts in biology. The introduction provides a clear and coherent overview to the philosophical progress regarding the nature of function in biology, and the book's chronological structure offers historical insight and perspective.
This anthology is well-planned, representative, and current in its orientation. All of the major positions and figures are represented, and the volume is framed by Buller's essays, an organization that serves to consolidate many themes introduced by the diverse slate of authors.
The scientific revolution ushered in a picture of the universe as governed solely by mechanical causation working forward in time, which appeared to leave no room in nature for teleological (or goal-directed) processes. But within the last decade a near-consensus has emerged among philosophers that the theory of evolution by natural selection provides the framework for a wholly naturalist analysis of the concept of function in biology, and thus solves the traditional philosophical problems regarding teleology. Function, Selection, and Design illustrates this growing consensus and the recent debate concerning the details of a fully adequate analysis of the concept of function.
Contributors include Colin Allen, Andr Ariew, Marc Bekoff, John Bigelow, David J. Buller, Robert Cummins, Peter Godfrey-Smith, Richard Goode, Paul E. Griffiths, Philip Kitcher, Ruth Garrett Millikan, Karen Neander, Robert Pargetter, Denis Walsh, and Larry Wright.]
Synopsis
David J. Buller is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Northern Illinois University.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-317) and index.
Table of Contents
Functions /Larry Wright --Functional analysis /Robert Cummins --Proper functions /Ruth Garrett Millikan --Functions /John Bigelow and Robert Pargetter --Ambiguity in the notion 'function' /Ruth Garrett Millikan --Teleological notion of 'function' /Karen Neander --Functional analysis and proper functions /Paul E. Griffiths --Function and design /Philip Kitcher --Functions : consensus without unity ;Modern history theory of functions /Peter Godfrey-Smith --Malfunctioning /Karen Neander --Misuse of Sober's selection for - selection of distinction /Richard Goode and Paul E. Griffiths --Biological function, adaptation, and natural design /Colin Allen and Marc Bekoff --Taxonomy of functions /Denis Walsh and Andrâe Ariew --Etiological theories of function : a geographical survey /David J. Buller.