The indispensability of relational, adapted, and derived proper functions - Synthese Since the early debates on teleosemantics, there have been people objecting that teleosemantics cannot account for evolutionarily novel contents such as “democracy” (e.g., Peacocke in A Study of Conce...

I have a new paper in Synthese!
I argue: Millikan’s notions of relational, adapted, and derived proper functions are indispensable parts of every selected effects theory of functions and of teleosemantics!
Further, they solve teleosemantics’ problem of novel contents!
doi.org/10.1007/s112...

The indispensability of relational, adapted, and derived proper functions - Synthese Since the early debates on teleosemantics, there have been people objecting that teleosemantics cannot account for evolutionarily novel contents such as “democracy” (e.g., Peacocke in A Study of Conce...

Check out this new paper:

@jroloff.bsky.social argues that Millikan’s relational, adapted, and derived proper functions are essential for explaining novel contents and ontogenetic traits, countering Garson and @davidpapineau.bsky.social’s criticisms.

doi.org/10.1007/s112...

Check out Hanzhe Dong and @gualtiero.bsky.social‘s response to @fhundertmark.bsky.social, @frabellazzi.bsky.social, and my defense of the importance of past selection for theories of functions on @philosophyofbrains.com

philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/13/r...

The Brains Blog By Hanzhe Dong and Gualtiero Piccinini Introduction What are biological functions, and how should we think about them? This question has been controversial in the philosophy of biology (and technol…

Hanzhe Dong & @gualtiero.bsky.social respond to @jroloff.bsky.social, @frabellazzi.bsky.social, and my critique of GCA, defending it as foundational for biological functions. They address normativity, incidental effects, and novel traits. Read their response: philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/13/r...

The Brains Blog Fabian Hundertmark, Bielefeld UniversityJakob Roloff, Justus-Liebig-University GießenFrancesca Bellazzi, University of Oslo, ERC Project Assembling Life (no.101089326) 1. Introduction In the target…

Check it out here:
Original Post: philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/08/r...
Our Response Part 1: philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/10/s...
Our Response Part 2: philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/12/s...
I am really excited for the reply by @gualtiero.bsky.social and Hanzhe Dong which will be out tomorrow!

Both parts of the response to Dong‘s and @gualtiero.bsky.social blog post about biological functions on @philosophyofbrains.com that I wrote with @fhundertmark.bsky.social and @frabellazzi.bsky.social are out now. We argue that selection is inescapable!
It was a pleasure writing this with you!

It really was an absolute pleasure! @frabellazzi.bsky.social @fhundertmark.bsky.social So happy that it’s out!☺️

The Brains Blog Fabian Hundertmark, Bielefeld UniversityJakob Roloff, Justus-Liebig-University GießenFrancesca Bellazzi, University of Oslo, ERC Project Assembling Life (no.101089326) 1. Introduction Functions are…

“Do we need to rethink biological functions?” With @jroloff.bsky.social & @frabellazzi.bsky.social, I respond to Dong & @gualtiero.bsky.social’s critique of the selected effects theory. We argue: Selection is inescapable! Part 1 now on @philosophyofbrains.com: philosophyofbrains.com/2024/12/10/s...

Check out this exchange on functions. Out reply will be posted soon