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Single Idea 13287

[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / B. Natural Kinds / 4. Source of Kinds ]

Full Idea

Candidate species concepts can be intrinsic: morphological, physiological or genetic similarity; or relational: biology such as interbreeding and reproductive isolation, ecology, such as mate recognition in a niche, or phylogenetics (ancestor relations).

Gist of Idea

Concepts for species are either intrinsic structure, or relations like breeding or ancestry

Source

Kathrin Koslicki (The Structure of Objects [2008], 8.4.1)

Book Ref

Koslicki,Kathrin: 'The Structure of Objects' [OUP 2008], p.212


A Reaction

She says the relational ones are more popular, but I gather they all hit problems. See John Dupré on the hopelessness of the whole task.


The 13 ideas with the same theme [what underlies the divisions of natural kinds]:

Logos is the source of everything, and my theories separate and explain each nature [Heraclitus]
If we observe total regularity, there must be some unknown law and relationships controlling it [Locke]
The hidden structure of a natural kind determines membership in all possible worlds [Putnam]
Natural kind structures go right down to the bottom level [Ellis]
Essentialism says natural kinds are fundamental to nature, and determine the laws [Ellis]
Natural kinds are distinguished by resting on essences [Ellis]
The properties of an electron can't be explained just as 'clustering' [Chakravartty on Boyd]
Properties cluster together, either because of intrinsic relations, or because of an underlying process [Boyd, by Chakravartty]
Natural kinds, such as electrons, all behave the same way because we divide them by dispositions [Mumford]
There is nothing more to a natural kind than a real pattern in nature [Ladyman/Ross]
Some kinds, such as electrons, have essences, but 'cluster kinds' do not [Chakravartty]
Concepts for species are either intrinsic structure, or relations like breeding or ancestry [Koslicki]
Kinds are fixed by the essential properties of things - the properties that make it that kind of thing [Eagle]