Proliferative etiological functions in biological systems
| dc.contributor.author | Davis, John, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kasser, Jeff, advisor | |
| dc.contributor.author | McShane, Katie, committee member | |
| dc.contributor.author | Callahan, Gerald, committee member | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-08-28T14:35:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-08-28T14:35:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2015 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This work will examine functional conceptions in biology, and argue that problems arise when etiological accounts of function are applied to traits contained within a biological system. In the first chapter, prominent analyses of functional language will be examined, with a special interest paid to etiological analyses of biological functions. The second chapter will pose a problem for these etiological analyses that arises out of an aspect of functional traits in biological contexts: functional traits are often nested within containing systems, and etiological analyses of function seem to ascribe the functions of the parts of systems to those systems themselves. There is thus a proliferation of functions at a systemic level as the functions of the components contained within a system are ascribed to the systems that contain them. Furthermore, this proliferation seems to ascribe contradictory functions to systems, and makes more confusing the distinction between the “functions in” a system and the “functions of” a system. The final chapter will examine three possible solutions to this problem: one solution will attempt to prevent the ascription of functions to systems by carefully interpreting what it means to “cause” a system, one will attempt to ground functions in actual influences entities have on their own replication and proliferation, and the final one will reframe the etiological analyses of functions as a specific sort of explanatory project in line with dispositional analyses. | |
| dc.format.medium | born digital | |
| dc.format.medium | masters theses | |
| dc.identifier | Davis_colostate_0053N_13108.pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10217/167137 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Colorado State University. Libraries | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | 2000-2019 | |
| dc.rights | Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. | |
| dc.subject | etiological functions | |
| dc.subject | biological systems | |
| dc.subject | function | |
| dc.title | Proliferative etiological functions in biological systems | |
| dc.type | Text | |
| dcterms.rights.dpla | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Philosophy | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Colorado State University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
Files
Original bundle
1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
- Name:
- Davis_colostate_0053N_13108.pdf
- Size:
- 844.79 KB
- Format:
- Adobe Portable Document Format