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Record Nr. |
UNINA9910455327703321 |
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Autore |
McLaughlin Peter |
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Titolo |
What functions explain : functional explanation and self-reproducing systems / / Peter McLaughlin [[electronic resource]] |
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Pubbl/distr/stampa |
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Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 2001 |
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ISBN |
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1-107-12069-1 |
0-521-03885-5 |
0-511-15285-X |
1-280-43259-4 |
0-511-04624-3 |
0-511-17368-7 |
0-511-49851-9 |
9786610432592 |
0-511-30215-0 |
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Descrizione fisica |
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1 online resource (xi, 259 pages) : digital, PDF file(s) |
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Collana |
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Cambridge studies in philosophy and biology |
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Disciplina |
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Soggetti |
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Biology - Philosophy |
Social sciences - Philosophy |
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Lingua di pubblicazione |
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Formato |
Materiale a stampa |
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Livello bibliografico |
Monografia |
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Note generali |
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Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015). |
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Nota di bibliografia |
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Includes bibliographical references (p. 237-254) and index. |
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Nota di contenuto |
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Part I: Functions and intentions -- Introduction -- The problem of teleology -- Intentions and the functions of artifacts -- Part II: Analysis of functional explanation -- Basic positions in philosophy of science: Hempel and Nagel -- Etiological view -- Dispositional view -- Part III: Self-reproducing systems -- Artifacts and organisms -- Feedback mechanisms and their beneficiaries -- Having a good -- What functions explain. |
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Sommario/riassunto |
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This 2001 book offers an examination of functional explanation as it is used in biology and the social sciences, and focuses on the kinds of philosophical presuppositions that such explanations carry with them. It tackles such questions as: why are some things explained functionally while others are not? What do the functional explanations tell us about how these objects are conceptualized? What do we commit |
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