Central and East European
Society for Phenomenology

Repository | Journal | Volume | Article

238169

Indication and adaptation

Peter Godfrey-Smith

pp. 283-312

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between a family of concepts involving reliable correlation, and a family of concepts involving adaptation and biological function, as these concepts are used in the naturalistic semantic theory of Dretske's Explaining Behavior. I argue that Dretske's attempt to marry correlation and function to produce representation fails, though aspects of his failure point the way forward to a better theory.

Publication details

Published in:

(1992) Synthese 92 (2).

Pages: 283-312

DOI: 10.1007/BF00414302

Full citation:

Godfrey-Smith Peter (1992) „Indication and adaptation“. Synthese 92 (2), 283–312.