Adaptationism and Trait Individuation
Open accessAbstract
Adaptationism is often taken to be the thesis that most traits are adaptations. To assess this thesis, it seems we must be able to establish either an exhaustive set of all traits or a representative sample of this set. Either task requires a more systematic and principled way of individuating traits than is currently available. Moreover, different trait individuation criteria can make adaptationism turn out true or false. For instance, individuation based on natural selection may render adaptationism true, but may do so by presupposing adaptationism. In this article, we show how adaptationism depends on trait individuation and that the latter is an open and unsolved problem.
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The literature appears to be divided among accounts that individuate traits along structural or phenomenological features, adaptive functions, and pluralistic approaches.
“The literature appears to be divided among accounts that individuate traits along (i) their structural or phenomenological features; (ii) their adaptive functions (selectionist approaches); and (iii) those that treat trait identification as mostly or entirely arbitrary or determined by specific research goals (pluralistic approaches) [39].”
From Consciousness at sea (2025) · cites this paper as [39]
The Introduction (section 1; page unavailable) identifies functionalism and structuralism as two broad frameworks for trait individuation, and sections 2–3 discuss selection-based and structural criteria. The paper does not present pluralistic approaches—trait identification as arbitrary or determined by research goals—as a third division of the literature. Its structural account also concerns factors that generate and structure variation, not simply phenomenological features. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredWhether a trait is considered an adaptation crucially depends on how the trait is individuated as well as how significant a role selection played in its history.
“In a recent paper, DiFrisco & Ramsey [39] write that ‘whether a trait is considered an adaptation crucially depends on how the trait is individuated as well as how significant a role selection played in its history.’”
From Consciousness at sea (2025) · cites this paper as [39]
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Cites
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“In fact, this point was recognized by Gould and Lewontin (1979) when they criticized adaptationism for proceeding by “ atomizing ” organisms into traits: “ We must omit an extended discussion of the vital issue: ‘ what is a trait?”
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Lewontin, Richard C. 1978. "Adaptation." Scientific American 239 (3):212-31.
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Mikhalevich, I. (2025) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2024.0313 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- DiFrisco, J., & Ramsey, G.
- Affiliations
- The Francis Crick Institute (GB)
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Corresponding author
- DiFrisco, James
- Venue
- Philosophy of Science
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2023-02-17
- Volume
- 90
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1234-1243
- ISSN
- 0031-8248 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-767X
- OpenAlex
- W4321252231
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 9.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Philosophy of Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PhilSci-Archive (University of Pittsburgh) (submittedVersion)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- The Francis Crick Institute (cc-by)
- Funders
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (12W1822N, G070122N)
- Vlaamse regering
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Keywords
- adaptationism, natural selection, evolutionary theory, adaptive traits, philosophy of biology
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