Gunnar Babcock
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: Evolving systems and directionality
Evolving systems and directionality Open
Evolving systems in both the life and physical sciences are often thought to be directional. The processes that drive the evolution of systems are diverse, ranging from natural selection to thermodynamics. However, in many treatments of th…
View article: Persistence selection between simulated biogeochemical cycle variants for their distinct effects on the Earth system
Persistence selection between simulated biogeochemical cycle variants for their distinct effects on the Earth system Open
The average long-term impact of Darwinian evolution on Earth’s habitability remains extremely uncertain. Recent attempts to reconcile this uncertainty by “Darwinizing” nonreplicating biogeochemical processes subject to persistence-based se…
View article: Four false dichotomies in the study of teleology
Four false dichotomies in the study of teleology Open
The study of teleology is challenging in many ways, but there is a particular challenge that makes matters worse, distorting the conceptual space that has set the terms of debate. And that is the tendency to think about teleology in terms …
View article: Goal Directedness and the Field Concept
Goal Directedness and the Field Concept Open
A long-standing problem in understanding goal-directed systems has been the insufficiency of mechanistic explanations to make sense of them. This article offers a solution to this problem. It begins by observing the limitations of mechanis…