Extended interview with Prof. Michael Devitt – Part III: Biological Essentialism

Summary

In this insightful interview, Professor Michael Devitt discusses his philosophical development, spanning from his early education to his current work in philosophy of language and biology. He delves into his exploration of biological essentialism, arguing for the existence of intrinsic essences in taxa, while acknowledging the role of historical explanations in evolutionary biology. His work connects to his broader commitment to scientific realism, where he emphasizes the need for theories that explain underlying causes of observable phenomena. Devitt's approach to biological essentialism challenges consensus views, offering a nuanced perspective that integrates both intrinsic and historical aspects of essence.

Takeaways

• 😀 Professor Michael Devitt is a distinguished philosopher at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, known for his work in philosophy of language, metaphysics, and philosophy of biology.
• 😀 Devitt’s interest in the philosophy of biology developed around 15 years ago, initially influenced by his work in philosophy of language, particularly regarding the concept of 'rigidity' in semantics.
• 😀 Devitt's engagement with the philosophy of biology began with a challenge related to the philosophy of language—particularly how terms like 'tiger' could be understood semantically in relation to rigid designation and natural kind terms.
• 😀 Devitt proposed a new theory of 'rigid application' for natural kind terms, which he argued could address the issues related to rigidity that emerged from Kripke’s work on rigid designation.
• 😀 The application of his theory to biological terms led Devitt to support a form of biological essentialism, suggesting that certain biological taxa (like tigers) have intrinsic essences, which explain their observable properties.
• 😀 Devitt was inspired to explore the relationship between semantics and biology, which led him to critique the prevailing view in biology that essences are historical and not intrinsic, as suggested by figures like Samir Okasha.
• 😀 In response to the consensus view against biological essentialism, Devitt developed a position that sees biological essences as both intrinsic and historical, arguing that both aspects are necessary to explain biological phenomena.
• 😀 Devitt's controversial stance asserts that biological explanations require both developmental explanations (intrinsic essences) and historical explanations (evolutionary history) to fully account for traits like the stripes on a tiger or the horns of rhinos.
• 😀 Devitt also extends his ideas to individual essences, suggesting that individual organisms, such as a specific tiger, have intrinsic and historical essences that explain their individual traits.
• 😀 Despite the controversies surrounding essentialism in biology, Devitt maintains that essences—whether intrinsic or historical—are necessary to explain the properties and behaviors of biological organisms, drawing on Aristotelian ideas of nature and explanation.
• 😀 Devitt's philosophy of realism underscores the importance of theories that posit unobservable entities and properties, arguing that realists in science seek not only to describe observable phenomena but also to explain them by positing underlying natures.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the interviews with Professor Michael Devitt?

The interviews focus on three main topics: Professor Devitt's philosophical development, his views on realism and naturalism, and his ideas concerning language. They also explore the evolution of his theoretical proposals over time.

How did Professor Devitt’s interest in the philosophy of biology emerge?

Professor Devitt’s interest in the philosophy of biology began around 15 years ago, largely due to his general interest in the philosophy of science. His engagement became more serious when he worked on a semantic issue in the philosophy of language, specifically rigidity, which led him to explore biological essentialism.

What is the concept of 'rigid application' introduced by Professor Devitt?

Professor Devitt introduced the idea of 'rigid application' as a way to extend Saul Kripke's notion of rigid designation to natural kind terms. Unlike rigid designation, which connects a term to a single object, rigid application connects a term to a whole category of objects, like 'tiger'.

What role did Samir Okasha’s paper play in shaping Professor Devitt’s views on biological essentialism?

Samir Okasha’s paper introduced the consensus view in biology, which was hostile to the idea of intrinsic essences. This paper challenged Professor Devitt’s views, but he was not convinced by the objections and instead used them to refine his position, ultimately leading to his argument for biological essentialism.

How does Professor Devitt argue for the presence of intrinsic essences in biological taxa?

Professor Devitt argues that intrinsic essences are necessary to explain the phenotypical properties of taxa, such as the stripes of tigers. He claims that these properties must be explained by something intrinsic to the nature of the species, rather than by environmental factors alone.

Why does Professor Devitt defend the idea of intrinsic essences despite objections from the philosophical biology community?

Professor Devitt defends intrinsic essences because he believes they provide a necessary explanation for observable properties in biology. While many philosophers of biology argue for historical or environmental explanations, he insists that intrinsic essences also play a critical role in explaining phenomena like the stripes of tigers.

How does Professor Devitt’s view on essentialism differ from the consensus in the philosophy of biology?

While the consensus view in the philosophy of biology holds that essences are entirely historical or evolutionary, Professor Devitt's view is more nuanced. He argues that essences are both intrinsic and historical, meaning that they encompass both the developmental and evolutionary aspects of a taxon.

What is the significance of the developmental explanation in Professor Devitt’s theory of biological essentialism?

The developmental explanation is crucial to Professor Devitt's theory because it accounts for how certain properties, such as the number of horns in rhinos, emerge during development. He argues that intrinsic essences provide a developmental explanation for these phenotypical traits, in addition to the historical explanations for the species' evolution.

In his book, how does Professor Devitt extend his argument for biological essentialism to individual organisms?

In his book, Professor Devitt extends his argument for biological essentialism to individual organisms, arguing that each individual has both an intrinsic and historical essence. He uses examples such as tigers and rhinos to illustrate how both developmental and evolutionary explanations are necessary to account for their properties.

What does Professor Devitt mean by 'historical essences' and how does it relate to the idea of species evolution?

Historical essences refer to the evolutionary history of a species, which helps explain why certain traits, such as the number of horns in rhinos, are present in different environments. These essences are necessary to understand the evolutionary development of taxa, but Professor Devitt argues that they should be combined with intrinsic essences to fully explain biological phenomena.