Defending Intrinsic Biological Essentialism. Issue 1 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Devitt, Michael
• Is Part Of: Philosophy of science. Volume 88:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 67
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Science -- Periodicals; Science -- Philosophy; Science; Science -- Philosophy; Philosophie des sciences; Epistemology; Periodicals; 501
• DOI: 10.1086/710029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1539-767X

Abstract

Abstract : In "Resurrecting Biological Essentialism, " I went against the consensus in the philosophy of biology by arguing that a Linnaean taxon, including a species, has an essence that is, at least partly, an underlying intrinsic, mostly genetic, property: this intrinsic nature explains both the truth of generalizations about the phenotypic properties of the taxon and why being in the taxon is explanatory. The current article is a response to two criticisms: that this intrinsic essentialism is at odds with certain biological variations and that this talk of intrinsic essences is an uncalled for metaphysical addition to biology.