CFP: Function and Dysfunction: Revising, Expanding, and Questioning Two Core Concepts in the Philosophy of the Life Sciences

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
SPECIAL ISSUE - MEFISTO
Function and Dysfunction: Revising, Expanding, and Questioning Two Core Concepts in the Philosophy of the Life Sciences   Special issue to appear in Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History.   Guest editors:
M. Cristina Amoretti – University of Genova – [email protected] Claudio Davini – University of Bologna – [email protected] Rebecca/Riccardo Cuciniello – University of Pavia – [email protected]   Overview:   We invite researchers working in the philosophy of the life sciences, broadly construed, to submit abstracts for an upcoming special issue of Mefisto – Journal of Medicine, Philosophy, and History, focusing on the concepts of function and dysfunction.   From medicine and psychiatry to evolutionary biology and cognitive science, the notions of function and dysfunction play a crucial role in scientific explanation. However, these concepts remain theoretically contested, methodologically complex, and normatively loaded. Traditional approaches – such as aetiological, causal-role, fitness-based, and goal-contribution accounts – have provided powerful frameworks, yet contemporary scientific and philosophical inquiry raises pressing questions that challenge their adequacy.   How should we define function and dysfunction in light of emerging fields such as synthetic biology, systems medicine, and neuroscience? Do contemporary technological and conceptual advances necessitate new functional frameworks (e.g. generalised selected-effects, biological autonomy)? How do different scientific disciplines negotiate the boundary between function and dysfunction, and what are the epistemic, ontological, and normative implications of these negotiations?   This special issue aims to rethink and critically assess these foundational concepts, fostering dialogue between philosophy, the life sciences, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Early career scholars are especially encouraged to submit!   Theme and Topics of Interest:   We welcome submissions that engage with function and dysfunction from philosophical, historical, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):   1. Conceptual and Theoretical Challenges

• Are traditional accounts of function and dysfunction sufficient for contemporary scientific and philosophical inquiry?
• What are the epistemic and normative challenges in applying these concepts across different domains (e.g., biology, medicine, psychiatry)?
• Are dysfunctions mere failures to meet functional roles, or do they expose deeper ontological or methodological gaps?

  2. Evolutionary Biology and Functionality

• How do the recent trends in evolutionary biology (e.g. dynamical system theory, niche construction theory, evo-devo, the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis) shape our understanding of biological functions?
• How do selection-based and current utility-based accounts interact in functional explanations?
• What is the role of adaptation and fitness in defining function across different biological contexts?
• How can we define cross-generational and ecological functions?

  3. Function, Form, and Mechanisms

• To what extent does biological form determine function?
• Are functions constrained by structural properties, or can they shift independently of form?
• How do mechanistic explanations intersect with functional attributions in biology and medicine?

  4. Medicine, Psychiatry, and Normative Dimensions

• How do diverse medical fields negotiate the boundary between function and dysfunction?
• Are function and dysfunction value-free concepts? If not, what normative commitments are embedded in their definitions? Should these be revised?
• How do these concepts inform debates on health, disease, and mental disorders?

  5. Function, Dysfunction, and Society

• How do different models of function and dysfunction shape our understanding of disability and neurodiversity?
• What role do historical, cultural, and social contexts play in defining function and dysfunction?

  Submission guidelines:   Abstract submission – Please submit an abstract of 500-800 words (excluding references), clearly outlining the main argument and contribution of your proposed paper, by May 25, 2025. Abstracts must be sent to:   M. Cristina Amoretti – University of Genova – [email protected] Claudio Davini – University of Bologna – [email protected] Rebecca/Riccardo Cuciniello – University of Pavia – [email protected]   Paper submission – Selected authors will be informed by 30th of May 2025 and will be invited to submit a full paper by 14th of September 2025. Full papers will have to follow the general Guide for Authors of the journal and should not be longer than 8000 words (references excluded). More details will be provided together with the notification of abstracts’ acceptance.   Review process – Full papers will be checked by the guest editors and anonymous reviewers will be selected. After receiving the referees’ feedback, the guest editors will reach out to the authors asking for revisions, if needed.   Timeline: Deadline for abstracts submission: 25th of May 2025 Invitations for submitting a full paper: 30th of May 2025 Deadline for full papers submission: 14th of September 2025 Peer review process: between September and October 2025 Deadline for revisions from authors: 16th of November 2025 Expected publication of the Special Issue: between December and January 2025   Mefisto is classified as a “Class A” journal in the Italian evaluation system.  For further info about the journal: https://www.journal.edizioniets.eu/index.php/mefisto/about   For any inquiries, feel free to contact the guest editors.   We look forward to your contributions!