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Proper Function and Recent Selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Peter H. Schwartz
Peter H. Schwartz*
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania
*
†Philosophy Department, University of Pennsylvania, Logan Hall 433, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Abstract

“Modern History” versions of the etiological theory claim that in order for a trait X to have the proper function F, individuals with X must have been recently favored by natural selection for doing F (Godfrey-Smith 1994; Griffiths 1992, 1993). For many traits with prototypical proper functions, however, such recent selection may not have occurred: traits may have been maintained due to lack of variation or due to selection for other effects. I examine this flaw in Modern History accounts and offer an alternative etiological theory, the Continuing Usefulness account, which appears to avoid such problems.

Type
Philosophy of Biology
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 66 , Issue S3: Supplement. Proceedings of the 1998 Biennial Meetings of the Philosophy of Science Association. Part I: Contributed Papers Sep., 1999 , 1999 , pp. S210 - S222
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

Gary Hatfield spurred my interest in the function debate and advised me throughout my investigation, and Gary Ebbs has been an invaluable interlocutor and guide; I am deeply indebted to both of them. I also thank Zoltan Domotor, David Magnus, Ruth Millikan, Karen Neander, Gary Purpura, Neil Shubin, and an audience at the Sixteenth Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association for providing helpful questions, advice, and encouragement.

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