Part of the development of this consortium involves defining concepts used in members’ research. This is to provide researchers a map of the range of meanings used throughout interdisciplinary teams often working on similar topics with different methods.
This catalog, or Conceptual Inventory, is a work-in-progress and we encourage multiple definitions of the same term, as well as additions. CASP members can submit a concept or a term that you would like the project leadership to consider defining and adding to the inventory. If there is a definition that you disagree with, please submit an alternative using either of the forms above.
An example of a concept entry in the inventory:
Function (Biological Role)
The manner in which an item or activity contributes to a complex activity or capacity of a biological system. (Note: a “complex activity” is the result of the way the parts and activities of a system are organized.) Compare to “Function (Activity).”
References:
Wouters, A.G. (2003). “Four notions of biological function.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 34:633–668.
Allied Concepts:
Function (Activity), Function (Biological Advantage), Function (Evolutionary), Teleology,
Topical Filter:
Function and Teleology
Constraint
A contingent cause, exerted by particular structures or dynamics, that reduces the degrees of freedom of a process on which it acts. While a constraint influences how a process behaves, it is
Montévil, M and M. Mossio (2015). “Biological organisation as closure of constraints.” Journal of Theoretical Biology 372:179–191.
Autonomy, Organizational Closure, Regulation (or, Biological Regulation), Work-Constraint Cycle
Agency and Autonomy
Organizational Closure (or, Closure of Constraints)
A state of affairs in which a set of constraints is jointly implicated in maintaining the conditions of existence of the set, or “system.” In a system exhibiting organizational closure, each constr
Montévil, M and M. Mossio (2015). “Biological organisation as closure of constraints.” Journal of Theoretical Biology 372:179–191.
Autonomy, Constraint, Regulation (or, Biological Regulation), Work-Constraint Cycle
Agency and Autonomy
Work-Constraint Cycle
A cyclic organizational regime in which constraints are required to perform work (here conceptualized as a constrained release of energy), which in turn is used to build or maintain constraints.
Montévil, M and M. Mossio (2015). “Biological organisation as closure of constraints.” Journal of Theoretical Biology 372:179–191.
Agency (General, or Minimal), Autonomy, Constraint, Organizational Closure, Regulation (or, Biological Regulation)
Agency and Autonomy