Article ID: CBB378954890

Functional explanation and the problem of functional equivalence (2017)

unapi

The legitimacy of functional explanations in biology is threatened by a problem first identified by Hempel: the problem of functional equivalence. In order for the prevalence of a trait to be explained by its function, the function would have to explain why that very trait is prevalent and not some other functionally equivalent trait. But functions alone cannot meet this explanatory demand. I argue that this is a problem not only for Nagelian deductive-nomological models but also for etiological models of functional explanation. I contrast these models with a dual model of adaptive explanation and design explanation. This dual model largely circumvents the problem of functional equivalence, but divests functions of much explanatory power.

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Authors & Contributors
Alleva, Karina
Burnston, Daniel C.
Bourrat, Pierrick
Ross, Lauren N.
Boucher, Sandy C.
Wells, Aaron
Concepts
Philosophy of biology
Biology
Functionalism
Explanation; hypotheses; theories
Evolution
Teleology
Time Periods
21st century
20th century
19th century
20th century, late
18th century
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