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Neutral Functional Statement Schemata

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

Lowell Nissen
Lowell Nissen*
Affiliation:
University of Arkansas
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Abstract

The claim that there are nonpurposive functional statements is critically examined by looking at nine translation schemata, several of which are drawn from recent literature. All but one or two fail, suggesting that all functional statements (a) are causal (and not about probabilities or necessary conditions), and (b) have implicit reference to goals. If so, then the possibility of nonpurposive functional statements rests squarely on the possibility of nonpurposive goals.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 38 , Issue 2 , June 1971 , pp. 251 - 257
Copyright
Copyright © 1971 by The Philosophy of Science Association

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References

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