What Biological Functions Are and Why They Matter

This accessible book presents a new theory of biological functions and connects it to contemporary problems in philosophy and science.

List of contents

Introduction; Part I. Background: 1. The strangeness of functions; 2. Function and selection; 3. Feedback and functions; Part II. Theory: 4. An explosion of selection processes; 5. Selection and construction; 6. A generalized selected effects theory of function; 7. Proper functions are proximal functions; 8. When functions do wrong; Part III. Applications: 9. Function pluralism; 10. What are mechanisms?; 11. What are mental disorders?; 12. A new kind of teleosemantics; A programmatic epilogue.

About the author

Justin Garson is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Hunter College, City University of New York. He is the author of The Biological Mind: A Philosophical Introduction (2014) and A Critical Overview of Biological Functions (2016).

Summary

The biological functions debate is a perennial topic in the philosophy of science. This accessible and jargon-free book presents an innovative new approach to biological functions and applies it to contemporary problems in philosophy of mind, philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, philosophy of biology, and biology itself.

Product details

• Authors: Justin Garson, Justin (Hunter College Garson, Garson Justin
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.12.2018
• EAN: 9781108472593
• ISBN: 978-1-108-47259-3
• No. of pages: 246
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology; Philosophy of Mind, SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology, Biology, life sciences, Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology