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<p>Dear all,</p>
<p>As part of our research project on the philosophy of biomimetics
(<a href="https://biomimetics.hypotheses.org/"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://biomimetics.hypotheses.org/</a>),
we are pleased to invite you to our next online presentation, this
time by <b>Alan C. Love</b> on Monday, 9 September 2024, <a
href="https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/?qm=1&lid=2950159,5128581,4887398,1816670,1850147&h=2950159&date=2024-9-9&sln=20-22&hf=0"
target="_blank" rel="noopener">20:00 CEST (Berlin Time)</a> on
the topic:</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Function and functioning in biomimetics: a critical appraisal</b></p>
<p>The Zoom-link to the online-meeting is:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://uni-rostock-de.zoom-x.de/j/64194115128?pwd=bErt0O2fBGgesbRorCHa4BuCiIjI8h.1">https://uni-rostock-de.zoom-x.de/j/64194115128?pwd=bErt0O2fBGgesbRorCHa4BuCiIjI8h.1</a><br>
Meeting ID: 641 9411 5128<br>
Passcode: 407211<b> </b></p>
<p><strong>Abstract:</strong> 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 <em>functioning</em>. 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).<br>
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. </p>
<div><strong>Alan C. Love</strong> holds the <a
href="https://cla.umn.edu/news-events/news/alan-love-places-evo-devo-front-and-center"
target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winton Chair in the Liberal Arts</a>
and is <a
href="https://scholarswalk.umn.edu/faculty-awards/mcknight-awards/distinguished"
target="_blank" rel="noopener">Distinguished McKnight University
Professor</a> at the Department of Philosophy & Minnesota
Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Minnesota.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Webpage: <a href="http://umn.edu/~aclove" target="_blank"
rel="noopener" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">http://umn.edu/~aclove</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<p></p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
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<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://vdf.ch/biomedizinische-ontologie-1196087001.htmlONRADIOPhilosophySlam2023http://raibz.rai.it/de/index.php?media=Pra1704830400NEWBOOK">"
https://vdf.ch/biomedizinische-ontologie-1196087001.html
ON RADIO Philosophy Slam 2023
http://raibz.rai.it/de/index.php?media=Pra1704830400
NEW BOOK "</a>Scripture and Theology" (de Gruyter 2023)
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110768411">https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110768411</a>
OUT IN PAPERBACK
Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives on Formal Causation (Routledge 2023)
BLOG <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://biomimetics.hypotheses.org">https://biomimetics.hypotheses.org</a></pre>
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