Teleology is a mode of explanation in which something is explained by appealing to a
particular result or consequence that it brings about, and it has its roots in the philosophies …

In recent years, so-called organizational accounts (OA) have emerged in theoretical biology
as a powerful, viable strategy for naturalizing teleology and normativity. In the wake of the …

This chapter discusses biology's functional perspective: what it amounts to, why it is
essential and how it differs from our everyday intuitions. Using an explanation of the …

The work of Pere Alberch is crucial to study the early stages of EvoDevo. In particular, it
illustrates very persuasively why developmental systems have so much to say about the …

I found myself writing a book for new biologists that would help address this. It takes ideas
like intelligent design and orthogenesis seriously in context to make it clear why they were …

The metaphor of the adaptive landscape, introduced by Sewall Wright in 1932, has played,
and continues to play, a central role in much evolutionary thought. I argue that the use of this …

The dynamic regularities of living things still demand a language of ends and a theory of
power, form, and function to go with it. Ancient and Medieval formulations of souls with final …

In the early twentieth century, genes arose as a new locus of power, form, and function. This
new biological “agent” outcompeted other concepts to become a primary unit of biology …

The thesis titled 'A Mentalistic Account of Teleology in Biology'is a philosophical account of
teleological concepts within the context of biology. It explains the usefulness of teleological …

In this thesis I use the following conventions concerning the use of capital letters. When the
text refers to a specific object such as 'the Moon'or 'the Earth circles the Sun'the object is …