Biological Kinds and the Causal Theory of Reference
Ingo Brigandt
University of Alberta - Department of Philosophy
In: Experience and Analysis: Papers of the 27th International Wittgenstein Symposium, J. C. Marek and M. E. Reicher (eds), pp. 58-60, Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society: Kirchberg am Wechsel, 2004
Abstract:
This paper uses an example from biology, the homology concept, to argue that current versions of the causal theory of reference give an incomplete account of reference determination. It is suggested that in addition to samples and stereotypical properties, the scientific use of concepts and the epistemic interests pursued with concepts are important factors in determining the reference of natural kind terms.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 9
Keywords: reference, concepts, natural kind terms
Accepted Paper Series
Suggested Citation
Brigandt, Ingo, Biological Kinds and the Causal Theory of Reference. In: Experience and Analysis: Papers of the 27th International Wittgenstein Symposium, J. C. Marek and M. E. Reicher (eds), pp. 58-60, Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society: Kirchberg am Wechsel, 2004. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1070121
