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Philosophy of Science Philosophy of Science

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Selection Type Theories

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Lindley Darden  and
Joseph A. Cain
Lindley Darden
Affiliation:
Committee on the History and Philosophy of Science University of Maryland, College Park
Joseph A. Cain
Affiliation:
Committee on the History and Philosophy of Science University of Maryland, College Park
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Abstract

Selection type theories solve adaptation problems. Natural selection, clonal selection for antibody production, and selective theories of higher brain function are examples. An abstract characterization of typical selection processes is generated by analyzing and extending previous work on the nature of natural selection. Once constructed, this abstraction provides a useful tool for analyzing the nature of other selection theories and may be of use in new instances of theory construction. This suggests the potential fruitfulness of research to find other theory types and construct their abstractions.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 56 , Issue 1 , March 1989 , pp. 106 - 129
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

†

Lindley Darden thanks the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland for a Special Research Assignment for support of this work. Thanks also to: Michael Bradie, David Casey, Marjorie Grene, Joel Hagen, Pamela Henson, Joshua Lederberg, Elisabeth Lloyd, Elizabeth Napier, James Platt, Frederick Suppe, and two anonymous referees for their comments and ideas.

References

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