Against Organizational Functions Article Swipe
Over the last 20 years, several philosophers have developed a new approach to biological functions, the organizational (or systems-theoretic) approach. This is not a single theory but a family of theories based on the idea that a trait token can acquire a function by virtue of the way it contributes to a complex, organized system and thereby to its own continued persistence as a token. I argue that the organizational approach faces a serious liberality objection. I examine three different ways organizational theorists have tried to avoid that objection and show how they fail.
Related Topics
Concepts
Metadata
- Type
- article
- Language
- en
- Landing Page
- https://doi.org/10.1086/694009
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdf
- OA Status
- bronze
- Cited By
- 39
- References
- 40
- Related Works
- 10
- OpenAlex ID
- https://openalex.org/W2546416728
All OpenAlex metadata
Raw OpenAlex JSON
- OpenAlex ID
-
https://openalex.org/W2546416728Canonical identifier for this work in OpenAlex
- DOI
-
https://doi.org/10.1086/694009Digital Object Identifier
- Title
-
Against Organizational FunctionsWork title
- Type
-
articleOpenAlex work type
- Language
-
enPrimary language
- Publication year
-
2017Year of publication
- Publication date
-
2017-07-18Full publication date if available
- Authors
-
Justin GarsonList of authors in order
- Landing page
-
https://doi.org/10.1086/694009Publisher landing page
- PDF URL
-
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdfDirect link to full text PDF
- Open access
-
YesWhether a free full text is available
- OA status
-
bronzeOpen access status per OpenAlex
- OA URL
-
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdfDirect OA link when available
- Concepts
-
Security token, Virtue, Trait, Function (biology), Epistemology, Computer science, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Computer security, Biology, Evolutionary biology, Programming languageTop concepts (fields/topics) attached by OpenAlex
- Cited by
-
39Total citation count in OpenAlex
- Citations by year (recent)
-
2025: 1, 2024: 6, 2023: 3, 2022: 4, 2021: 1Per-year citation counts (last 5 years)
- References (count)
-
40Number of works referenced by this work
- Related works (count)
-
10Other works algorithmically related by OpenAlex
Full payload
| id | https://openalex.org/W2546416728 |
|---|---|
| doi | https://doi.org/10.1086/694009 |
| ids.doi | https://doi.org/10.1086/694009 |
| ids.mag | 2546416728 |
| ids.openalex | https://openalex.org/W2546416728 |
| fwci | 50.7442057 |
| type | article |
| title | Against Organizational Functions |
| biblio.issue | 5 |
| biblio.volume | 84 |
| biblio.last_page | 1103 |
| biblio.first_page | 1093 |
| topics[0].id | https://openalex.org/T10778 |
| topics[0].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/12 |
| topics[0].field.display_name | Arts and Humanities |
| topics[0].score | 0.9840999841690063 |
| topics[0].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[0].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[0].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/1207 |
| topics[0].subfield.display_name | History and Philosophy of Science |
| topics[0].display_name | Philosophy and History of Science |
| topics[1].id | https://openalex.org/T14350 |
| topics[1].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| topics[1].field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].score | 0.955299973487854 |
| topics[1].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[1].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3312 |
| topics[1].subfield.display_name | Sociology and Political Science |
| topics[1].display_name | Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems |
| topics[2].id | https://openalex.org/T11810 |
| topics[2].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/18 |
| topics[2].field.display_name | Decision Sciences |
| topics[2].score | 0.9447000026702881 |
| topics[2].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[2].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[2].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/1803 |
| topics[2].subfield.display_name | Management Science and Operations Research |
| topics[2].display_name | Complex Systems and Decision Making |
| is_xpac | False |
| apc_list | |
| apc_paid | |
| concepts[0].id | https://openalex.org/C48145219 |
| concepts[0].level | 2 |
| concepts[0].score | 0.6961459517478943 |
| concepts[0].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335365 |
| concepts[0].display_name | Security token |
| concepts[1].id | https://openalex.org/C2777239683 |
| concepts[1].level | 2 |
| concepts[1].score | 0.689692497253418 |
| concepts[1].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q157811 |
| concepts[1].display_name | Virtue |
| concepts[2].id | https://openalex.org/C106934330 |
| concepts[2].level | 2 |
| concepts[2].score | 0.5807003974914551 |
| concepts[2].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1971873 |
| concepts[2].display_name | Trait |
| concepts[3].id | https://openalex.org/C14036430 |
| concepts[3].level | 2 |
| concepts[3].score | 0.5805513262748718 |
| concepts[3].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076 |
| concepts[3].display_name | Function (biology) |
| concepts[4].id | https://openalex.org/C111472728 |
| concepts[4].level | 1 |
| concepts[4].score | 0.5332569479942322 |
| concepts[4].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471 |
| concepts[4].display_name | Epistemology |
| concepts[5].id | https://openalex.org/C41008148 |
| concepts[5].level | 0 |
| concepts[5].score | 0.38244232535362244 |
| concepts[5].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198 |
| concepts[5].display_name | Computer science |
| concepts[6].id | https://openalex.org/C15744967 |
| concepts[6].level | 0 |
| concepts[6].score | 0.33903729915618896 |
| concepts[6].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418 |
| concepts[6].display_name | Psychology |
| concepts[7].id | https://openalex.org/C144024400 |
| concepts[7].level | 0 |
| concepts[7].score | 0.3334531784057617 |
| concepts[7].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201 |
| concepts[7].display_name | Sociology |
| concepts[8].id | https://openalex.org/C138885662 |
| concepts[8].level | 0 |
| concepts[8].score | 0.20200669765472412 |
| concepts[8].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891 |
| concepts[8].display_name | Philosophy |
| concepts[9].id | https://openalex.org/C38652104 |
| concepts[9].level | 1 |
| concepts[9].score | 0.05376628041267395 |
| concepts[9].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521 |
| concepts[9].display_name | Computer security |
| concepts[10].id | https://openalex.org/C86803240 |
| concepts[10].level | 0 |
| concepts[10].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[10].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420 |
| concepts[10].display_name | Biology |
| concepts[11].id | https://openalex.org/C78458016 |
| concepts[11].level | 1 |
| concepts[11].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[11].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q840400 |
| concepts[11].display_name | Evolutionary biology |
| concepts[12].id | https://openalex.org/C199360897 |
| concepts[12].level | 1 |
| concepts[12].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[12].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143 |
| concepts[12].display_name | Programming language |
| keywords[0].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/security-token |
| keywords[0].score | 0.6961459517478943 |
| keywords[0].display_name | Security token |
| keywords[1].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/virtue |
| keywords[1].score | 0.689692497253418 |
| keywords[1].display_name | Virtue |
| keywords[2].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/trait |
| keywords[2].score | 0.5807003974914551 |
| keywords[2].display_name | Trait |
| keywords[3].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/function |
| keywords[3].score | 0.5805513262748718 |
| keywords[3].display_name | Function (biology) |
| keywords[4].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/epistemology |
| keywords[4].score | 0.5332569479942322 |
| keywords[4].display_name | Epistemology |
| keywords[5].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science |
| keywords[5].score | 0.38244232535362244 |
| keywords[5].display_name | Computer science |
| keywords[6].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/psychology |
| keywords[6].score | 0.33903729915618896 |
| keywords[6].display_name | Psychology |
| keywords[7].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/sociology |
| keywords[7].score | 0.3334531784057617 |
| keywords[7].display_name | Sociology |
| keywords[8].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/philosophy |
| keywords[8].score | 0.20200669765472412 |
| keywords[8].display_name | Philosophy |
| keywords[9].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-security |
| keywords[9].score | 0.05376628041267395 |
| keywords[9].display_name | Computer security |
| language | en |
| locations[0].id | doi:10.1086/694009 |
| locations[0].is_oa | True |
| locations[0].source.id | https://openalex.org/S147691735 |
| locations[0].source.issn | 0031-8248, 1539-767X |
| locations[0].source.type | journal |
| locations[0].source.is_oa | False |
| locations[0].source.issn_l | 0031-8248 |
| locations[0].source.is_core | True |
| locations[0].source.is_in_doaj | False |
| locations[0].source.display_name | Philosophy of Science |
| locations[0].source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310311721 |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_name | Cambridge University Press |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310311721, https://openalex.org/P4310311702 |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage_names | Cambridge University Press, University of Cambridge |
| locations[0].license | |
| locations[0].pdf_url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdf |
| locations[0].version | publishedVersion |
| locations[0].raw_type | journal-article |
| locations[0].license_id | |
| locations[0].is_accepted | True |
| locations[0].is_published | True |
| locations[0].raw_source_name | Philosophy of Science |
| locations[0].landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.1086/694009 |
| indexed_in | crossref |
| authorships[0].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5008782769 |
| authorships[0].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0210-2989 |
| authorships[0].author.display_name | Justin Garson |
| authorships[0].author_position | first |
| authorships[0].raw_author_name | Justin Garson |
| authorships[0].is_corresponding | True |
| has_content.pdf | True |
| has_content.grobid_xml | True |
| is_paratext | False |
| open_access.is_oa | True |
| open_access.oa_url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdf |
| open_access.oa_status | bronze |
| open_access.any_repository_has_fulltext | False |
| created_date | 2025-10-10T00:00:00 |
| display_name | Against Organizational Functions |
| has_fulltext | True |
| is_retracted | False |
| updated_date | 2025-11-06T03:46:38.306776 |
| primary_topic.id | https://openalex.org/T10778 |
| primary_topic.field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/12 |
| primary_topic.field.display_name | Arts and Humanities |
| primary_topic.score | 0.9840999841690063 |
| primary_topic.domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| primary_topic.domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| primary_topic.subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/1207 |
| primary_topic.subfield.display_name | History and Philosophy of Science |
| primary_topic.display_name | Philosophy and History of Science |
| related_works | https://openalex.org/W2376913909, https://openalex.org/W579813788, https://openalex.org/W3084056392, https://openalex.org/W2097165408, https://openalex.org/W2385074746, https://openalex.org/W2378622502, https://openalex.org/W2378706131, https://openalex.org/W1570462502, https://openalex.org/W1890805536, https://openalex.org/W2355987749 |
| cited_by_count | 39 |
| counts_by_year[0].year | 2025 |
| counts_by_year[0].cited_by_count | 1 |
| counts_by_year[1].year | 2024 |
| counts_by_year[1].cited_by_count | 6 |
| counts_by_year[2].year | 2023 |
| counts_by_year[2].cited_by_count | 3 |
| counts_by_year[3].year | 2022 |
| counts_by_year[3].cited_by_count | 4 |
| counts_by_year[4].year | 2021 |
| counts_by_year[4].cited_by_count | 1 |
| counts_by_year[5].year | 2020 |
| counts_by_year[5].cited_by_count | 2 |
| counts_by_year[6].year | 2019 |
| counts_by_year[6].cited_by_count | 20 |
| counts_by_year[7].year | 2017 |
| counts_by_year[7].cited_by_count | 1 |
| counts_by_year[8].year | 2016 |
| counts_by_year[8].cited_by_count | 1 |
| locations_count | 1 |
| best_oa_location.id | doi:10.1086/694009 |
| best_oa_location.is_oa | True |
| best_oa_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S147691735 |
| best_oa_location.source.issn | 0031-8248, 1539-767X |
| best_oa_location.source.type | journal |
| best_oa_location.source.is_oa | False |
| best_oa_location.source.issn_l | 0031-8248 |
| best_oa_location.source.is_core | True |
| best_oa_location.source.is_in_doaj | False |
| best_oa_location.source.display_name | Philosophy of Science |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310311721 |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_name | Cambridge University Press |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310311721, https://openalex.org/P4310311702 |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage_names | Cambridge University Press, University of Cambridge |
| best_oa_location.license | |
| best_oa_location.pdf_url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdf |
| best_oa_location.version | publishedVersion |
| best_oa_location.raw_type | journal-article |
| best_oa_location.license_id | |
| best_oa_location.is_accepted | True |
| best_oa_location.is_published | True |
| best_oa_location.raw_source_name | Philosophy of Science |
| best_oa_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.1086/694009 |
| primary_location.id | doi:10.1086/694009 |
| primary_location.is_oa | True |
| primary_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S147691735 |
| primary_location.source.issn | 0031-8248, 1539-767X |
| primary_location.source.type | journal |
| primary_location.source.is_oa | False |
| primary_location.source.issn_l | 0031-8248 |
| primary_location.source.is_core | True |
| primary_location.source.is_in_doaj | False |
| primary_location.source.display_name | Philosophy of Science |
| primary_location.source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310311721 |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_name | Cambridge University Press |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310311721, https://openalex.org/P4310311702 |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage_names | Cambridge University Press, University of Cambridge |
| primary_location.license | |
| primary_location.pdf_url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/196DD2DBABE6162D6484F6542B9000A6/S0031824800010229a.pdf/div-class-title-against-organizational-functions-div.pdf |
| primary_location.version | publishedVersion |
| primary_location.raw_type | journal-article |
| primary_location.license_id | |
| primary_location.is_accepted | True |
| primary_location.is_published | True |
| primary_location.raw_source_name | Philosophy of Science |
| primary_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.1086/694009 |
| publication_date | 2017-07-18 |
| publication_year | 2017 |
| referenced_works | https://openalex.org/W2088636494, https://openalex.org/W2090063498, https://openalex.org/W2173289591, https://openalex.org/W2085975433, https://openalex.org/W2038771928, https://openalex.org/W2496615171, https://openalex.org/W617163792, https://openalex.org/W2017915579, https://openalex.org/W2087709756, https://openalex.org/W4247665917, https://openalex.org/W2008322756, https://openalex.org/W2027081976, https://openalex.org/W3132758650, https://openalex.org/W2322993906, https://openalex.org/W2169108009, https://openalex.org/W2036826067, https://openalex.org/W6603098267, https://openalex.org/W2097059835, https://openalex.org/W2734424168, https://openalex.org/W2078684128, https://openalex.org/W2067251894, https://openalex.org/W4249319693, https://openalex.org/W2495487685, https://openalex.org/W1697194251, https://openalex.org/W6622953671, https://openalex.org/W2090446436, https://openalex.org/W2122586240, https://openalex.org/W2546193221, https://openalex.org/W2186233394, https://openalex.org/W4252319302, https://openalex.org/W2268986610, https://openalex.org/W1576718242, https://openalex.org/W2118038107, https://openalex.org/W2052879098, https://openalex.org/W2178664203, https://openalex.org/W816250141, https://openalex.org/W4210967331, https://openalex.org/W766529252, https://openalex.org/W643711113, https://openalex.org/W76305614 |
| referenced_works_count | 40 |
| abstract_inverted_index.I | 65, 76 |
| abstract_inverted_index.a | 9, 23, 27, 36, 41, 51, 63, 72 |
| abstract_inverted_index.20 | 3 |
| abstract_inverted_index.as | 62 |
| abstract_inverted_index.by | 43 |
| abstract_inverted_index.is | 21 |
| abstract_inverted_index.it | 48 |
| abstract_inverted_index.of | 29, 45 |
| abstract_inverted_index.on | 32 |
| abstract_inverted_index.to | 12, 50, 57, 85 |
| abstract_inverted_index.(or | 17 |
| abstract_inverted_index.and | 55, 89 |
| abstract_inverted_index.but | 26 |
| abstract_inverted_index.can | 39 |
| abstract_inverted_index.how | 91 |
| abstract_inverted_index.its | 58 |
| abstract_inverted_index.new | 10 |
| abstract_inverted_index.not | 22 |
| abstract_inverted_index.own | 59 |
| abstract_inverted_index.the | 1, 15, 33, 46, 68 |
| abstract_inverted_index.way | 47 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Over | 0 |
| abstract_inverted_index.This | 20 |
| abstract_inverted_index.have | 7, 83 |
| abstract_inverted_index.idea | 34 |
| abstract_inverted_index.last | 2 |
| abstract_inverted_index.show | 90 |
| abstract_inverted_index.that | 35, 67, 87 |
| abstract_inverted_index.they | 92 |
| abstract_inverted_index.ways | 80 |
| abstract_inverted_index.argue | 66 |
| abstract_inverted_index.avoid | 86 |
| abstract_inverted_index.based | 31 |
| abstract_inverted_index.faces | 71 |
| abstract_inverted_index.fail. | 93 |
| abstract_inverted_index.three | 78 |
| abstract_inverted_index.token | 38 |
| abstract_inverted_index.trait | 37 |
| abstract_inverted_index.tried | 84 |
| abstract_inverted_index.family | 28 |
| abstract_inverted_index.single | 24 |
| abstract_inverted_index.system | 54 |
| abstract_inverted_index.theory | 25 |
| abstract_inverted_index.token. | 64 |
| abstract_inverted_index.virtue | 44 |
| abstract_inverted_index.years, | 4 |
| abstract_inverted_index.acquire | 40 |
| abstract_inverted_index.examine | 77 |
| abstract_inverted_index.serious | 73 |
| abstract_inverted_index.several | 5 |
| abstract_inverted_index.thereby | 56 |
| abstract_inverted_index.approach | 11, 70 |
| abstract_inverted_index.complex, | 52 |
| abstract_inverted_index.function | 42 |
| abstract_inverted_index.theories | 30 |
| abstract_inverted_index.approach. | 19 |
| abstract_inverted_index.continued | 60 |
| abstract_inverted_index.developed | 8 |
| abstract_inverted_index.different | 79 |
| abstract_inverted_index.objection | 88 |
| abstract_inverted_index.organized | 53 |
| abstract_inverted_index.theorists | 82 |
| abstract_inverted_index.biological | 13 |
| abstract_inverted_index.functions, | 14 |
| abstract_inverted_index.liberality | 74 |
| abstract_inverted_index.objection. | 75 |
| abstract_inverted_index.contributes | 49 |
| abstract_inverted_index.persistence | 61 |
| abstract_inverted_index.philosophers | 6 |
| abstract_inverted_index.organizational | 16, 69, 81 |
| abstract_inverted_index.systems-theoretic) | 18 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.max | 100 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.min | 89 |
| corresponding_author_ids | https://openalex.org/A5008782769 |
| countries_distinct_count | 0 |
| institutions_distinct_count | 1 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].id | https://metadata.un.org/sdg/16 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].score | 0.47999998927116394 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].display_name | Peace, Justice and strong institutions |
| citation_normalized_percentile.value | 0.99610079 |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_1_percent | True |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_10_percent | True |