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

9 Pages Posted: 12 Dec 2007

See all articles by Ingo Brigandt

Ingo Brigandt

University of Alberta - Department of Philosophy

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.

Keywords: reference, concepts, natural kind terms

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: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1070121

Ingo Brigandt (Contact Author)

University of Alberta - Department of Philosophy ( email )

2-40 Assiniboia Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E7
Canada

HOME PAGE: http://www.ualberta.ca/~brigandt

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