ADAPTATIONAL FUNCTIONAL ASCRIPTIONS IN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY - A CRITIQUE OF SCHAFFNERS VIEWS

Kenneth Schaffner has argued that evolutionary theory, strictly unders tood, cannot support the functional ascriptions used in adaptational f unctional explanations. Although the causal ascription clause in these ascriptions is supported, the goal-ascription clause cannot be, since it imports anthropocentric features deriving from a vulgar understand ing of evolutionary theory. I argue that an etiological interpretation of selectional explanations sanctions both the causal and goal-ascrip tion clauses of functional ascriptions and provides a way to understan d teleological explanation within evolutionary biology.