Function, reduction and normativity

Download
2010
Akbay, Gökhan
Normativity of biological functions create a serious obstacle against the reduction of functional biology into molecular biology. Normativity of biological entities has two interconnected sources. One is the internal complexity and self organization demonstrated by the organism. The second source is external to the organism: Natural selection. An organism adapts to its environment by its internal autonomy. Species or populations adapt by natural selection. If these two sources of normativity can be reduced to statistical generalities achieved by theoretical models, reductionism will prevail.

Suggestions

Integrating Epistemological Perspectives on Chemistry in Chemical Education: The Cases of Concept Duality, Chemical Language, and Structural Explanations
Kaya, Ebru; Erduran, Sibel (2013-07-01)
In this paper, we trace the work of some philosophers of chemistry to draw some implications for the improvement of chemical education. We examine some key features of chemical knowledge, and how these features are relevant for school chemistry teaching and learning. In particular, we examine Laszlo's (Foundations of Chemistry 1:225-238, 1999) notion of concept duality, Jacob's (HYLE-International Journal for Philosophy of Chemistry 7:31-50, 2001) descriptions of chemical language and Goodwin's (Foundations...
Dualities in bergson revisited: towards a reconciliation?
Karahan, Gülizar; Çırakman, Elif; Department of Philosophy (2008)
The aim of this study is to make an inquiry on the nature and the development of dualities in Bergson’s philosophy. Since the nature of each duality differs from the others and the dualistic pattern inherent in Bergsonian philosophy is subject to change, we base our study on a chronological structure in order to comprehend better how this pattern changes. We claim that such an inquiry will yield relevant outcomes with regard to ontological and epistemological evolution of Bergson’s thought. To state more pr...
The concepts of health and sickness in Nietzsche's philosophy
Akbalık, Bilge; Parkan, Barış; Department of Philosophy (2009)
The purpose of the present study is to assess the role of the concepts of health and sickness in Nietzsche’s philosophy. While doing this, our basic presupposition will be that these concepts owe their special place to their being the new criteria for Nietzsche’s project of revaluation of all existing values. Nietzsche was philosophizing in the face of the crisis of 19th century Europe, that is, nihilism. According to him, Western traditional thought is based on an otherworldly oriented conception of life t...
Regulation of CpG-induced immune activation by suppressive oligodeoxynucleotides.
Klinman, DM; Zeuner, R; Yamada, H; Gürsel, Mayda; Currie, D; Gursel, I (Wiley, 2003-12-01)
Bacterial DNA and synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing unmethylated "CpG motifs" stimulate an innate immune response characterized by the production of cytokines, chemokines, and polyreactive Igs that promote host survival following infectious challenge. Yet CpG-driven immune activation can have deleterious consequences, such as increasing the host's susceptibility to autoimmune disease. The immunomodulatory activity of CpG DNA can be blocked by DNA containing "suppressive" motifs. This work exp...
Appropriateness of a cognitive approach to Donald Davidson's meaning theory
Ağoğlu, Eser; Sayan, Erdinç; Department of Philosophy (2008)
The purpose of this study is to discuss the appropriateness of a cognitive approach to Donald Davidson's meaning theory. Davidson makes the bold proposal that a truth theory, modified for a natural language, may be treated as a meaning theory for that language. According to Davidson, a meaning theory is an empirical theory. Radical Interpretation is at the center of such an empirical inquiry which places restrictions on the truth theory to make it suitable as a meaning theory without appeal to semantic noti...
Citation Formats
G. Akbay, “Function, reduction and normativity,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2010.