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A Theory of Conceptual Advance: Explaining Conceptual Change in Evolutionary, Molecular, and Evolutionary Developmental Biology

Brigandt, Ingo (2006) A Theory of Conceptual Advance: Explaining Conceptual Change in Evolutionary, Molecular, and Evolutionary Developmental Biology. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The theory of concepts advanced in the dissertation aims at accounting for a) how a concept makes successful practice possible, and b) how a scientific concept can be subject to rational change in the course of history. Traditional accounts in the philosophy of science have usually studied concepts in terms only of their reference; their concern is to establish a stability of reference in order to address the incommensurability problem. My discussion, in contrast, suggests that each scientific concept consists of three components of content: 1) reference, 2) inferential role, and 3) the epistemic goal pursued with the concept's use. I argue that in the course of history a concept can change in any of these three components, and that change in one component—including change of reference—can be accounted for as being rational relative to other components, in particular a concept's epistemic goal.This semantic framework is applied to two cases from the history of biology: the homology concept as used in 19th and 20th century biology, and the gene concept as used in different parts of the 20th century. The homology case study argues that the advent of Darwinian evolutionary theory, despite introducing a new definition of homology, did not bring about a new homology concept (distinct from the pre-Darwinian concept) in the 19th century. Nowadays, however, distinct homology concepts are used in systematics/evolutionary biology, in evolutionary developmental biology, and in molecular biology. The emergence of these different homology concepts is explained as occurring in a rational fashion. The gene case study argues that conceptual progress occurred with the transition from the classical to the molecular gene concept, despite a change in reference. In the last two decades, change occurred internal to the molecular gene concept, so that nowadays this concept's usage and reference varies from context to context. I argue that this situation emerged rationally and that the current variation in usage and reference is conducive to biological practice.The dissertation uses ideas and methodological tools from the philosophy of mind and language, the philosophy of science, the history of science, and the psychology of concepts.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Brigandt, Ingobrigandt@ualberta.ca
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee CoChairGupta, Anilagupta@pitt.eduAGUPTA
Committee CoChairGriffiths, Paul Epaul.griffiths@uq.edu.au
Committee MemberWagner, Gunter Pgunter.wagner@yale.edu
Committee MemberLennox, James Gjglennox@pitt.eduJGLENNOX
Committee MemberBrandom, Robert Brbrandom@pitt.eduRBRANDOM
Committee MemberMitchell, Sandra Dsmitchel@pitt.eduSMITCHEL
Date: 20 September 2006
Date Type: Completion
Defense Date: 2 August 2006
Approval Date: 20 September 2006
Submission Date: 3 August 2006
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > History and Philosophy of Science
Degree: PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis Type: Doctoral Dissertation
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: concepts; conceptual role semantics; epistemic goals; evo-devo; gene concept; homology concept; reference
Other ID: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08032006-145211/, etd-08032006-145211
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2011 19:56
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2016 13:47
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8849

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