[obml] [Extern] Function and functioning in biomimetics -- Online-presentation by Alan C. Love, 9/9/2024

[Ludger Jansen]

Dear all,

As part of our research project on the philosophy of biomimetics 
(https://biomimetics.hypotheses.org/), we are pleased to invite you to 
our next online presentation, this time by *Alan C. Love* on Monday, 9 
September 2024, 20:00 CEST (Berlin Time) 
<https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/?qm=1&lid=2950159,5128581,4887398,1816670,1850147&h=2950159&date=2024-9-9&sln=20-22&hf=0> 
on the topic:

*Function and functioning in biomimetics: a critical appraisal*

The Zoom-link to the online-meeting is:
https://uni-rostock-de.zoom-x.de/j/64194115128?pwd=bErt0O2fBGgesbRorCHa4BuCiIjI8h.1
Meeting ID: 641 9411 5128
Passcode: 407211**

*Abstract:* The concept of function has received extensive attention 
from philosophers of biology and yet continues to be a controversial 
topic. In biomimetics, “function” can serve as a bridge between the life 
sciences and engineering attempts to solve human problems by mimicking 
“how nature does it.” Much of biomimetics has assumed a trait-oriented 
conception of function, looking to features or properties of organisms 
for inspiration (e.g., airplane wing structure from bird wings or dry 
adhesives like Velcro from plant seed burrs). However, other biomimetic 
approaches focus on system design, either organismal (e.g., soft robot 
locomotion) or ecological (resource recycling and reuse), where the 
pertinent notion is /functioning/. In both cases, the presumption is 
that the function of a biological trait or the functioning of a natural 
system is always an appropriate reference standard because of millions 
of years of evolutionary optimization due to natural selection (i.e., a 
form of pan-adaptationism).
Scrutiny of “function” and “functioning” provides an entry point into 
evaluating the overall merits of biomimicry. First, I argue that the 
justificatory appeal to evolutionary optimization is not warranted, and 
this means other concepts of function besides the selected-effects 
account should be considered. Second, appeals to notions like 
autopoiesis to account for the self-producing or self-maintaining 
phenomenology of functioning associated with living systems (possibly 
even the entire Earth) remain largely theoretical and beyond empirical 
testing. Third, in practice, empirical assessments of function and 
functioning in biology are often made via direct comparison with 
engineered non-living systems (e.g., in biomechanics where bones are 
considered levers). Although these points are relatively critical, they 
are mostly problematic for biomimetics understood as an overarching 
philosophy with a distinctive ontology or as a single coherent field of 
research with central principles. When interpreted in a more 
deflationary manner (e.g., features and systems of the living world 
sometimes provide useful engineering inspiration), biomimetics is on 
more solid ground and ultimately can leverage these criticisms as 
resources.

*Alan C. Love* holds the Winton Chair in the Liberal Arts 
<https://cla.umn.edu/news-events/news/alan-love-places-evo-devo-front-and-center> 
and is Distinguished McKnight University Professor 
<https://scholarswalk.umn.edu/faculty-awards/mcknight-awards/distinguished> 
at the Department of Philosophy & Minnesota Center for Philosophy of 
Science, University of Minnesota.
Webpage: http://umn.edu/~aclove

-- 
Prof. Dr. Ludger Jansen
Adjunct Professor and Principal Investigator
Institut für Philosophie
Universität Rostock
D-18051 Rostock

Cusanus Chair for Philosophy
Phil.-Theol. Hochschule Brixen|Studio Teologico Accademico Bressanone
Seminarplatz 4|Piazza Seminario
I-39042 Brixen|Bressanone

NOW OPEN ACCESS Jansen/Smith, "Biomedizinische Ontologie" https://vdf.ch/biomedizinische-ontologie-1196087001.html ON RADIO 
Philosophy Slam 2023 
http://raibz.rai.it/de/index.php?media=Pra1704830400 NEW BOOK "Scripture and Theology" (de Gruyter 2023)
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110768411  

OUT IN PAPERBACK
Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives on Formal Causation (Routledge 2023)

BLOGhttps://biomimetics.hypotheses.org
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