Indication and adaptation

Peter Godfrey-Smith

pp. 283-312

in: Synthese 92 (2), 1992.

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between a family of concepts involving reliable correlation, and a family of concepts involving adaptation and biological function, as these concepts are used in the naturalistic semantic theory of Dretske's Explaining Behavior. I argue that Dretske's attempt to marry correlation and function to produce representation fails, though aspects of his failure point the way forward to a better theory.