Di Paolo (2005) Autopoiesis, Adaptivity, Teleology, Agency – OpenEvo

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Autopoiesis, Adaptivity, Teleology, Agency

Di Paolo (2005) Autopoiesis, Adaptivity, Teleology, Agency

Abstract

A proposal for the biological grounding of intrinsic teleology and sense-making through the theory of autopoiesis is critically evaluated. Autopoiesis provides a systemic language for speaking about intrinsic teleology but its original formulation needs to be elaborated further in order to explain sense-making. This is done by introducing adaptivity, a many-layered property that allows organisms to regulate themselves with respect to their conditions of viability. Adaptivity leads to more articulated concepts of behaviour, agency, sense-construction, health, and temporality than those given so far by autopoiesis and enaction. These and other implications for understanding the organismic generation of values are explored.

Link to Publication

Concepts Adaptation, Agency, Autopoiesis, Complex systems, Decentralized Self, Decentralized thinking, Systems thinking
Relevant learning goals Conceptual Thinking, Critical Thinking, Systems Thinking
Relevant subject areas Biology, Philosophy
Relevant research methods Conceptual clarification, Knowledge synthesis, Scientific clarification
Relevant projects Annotated Reading List, Decentralized Self, Understanding Agency
Relevant school improvement goals Conceptual understanding

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