![]() ![]() Our argument is intended to have the double impact of deflecting criticisms against new functionalism from the perspective of mechanistic decomposition while also expanding the scope of new functionalism to encompass the social and behavioral sciences. Specifically, we focus on preferences and signals as functional kinds. We aim at demonstrating this by appealing to model-based explanations from the social and behavioral sciences. In particular, we argue that the assessment of the explanatory legitimacy of a functional kind needs to take into account the explanatory purpose of the model in which the functional kind is employed. In this paper, we seek to defend new functionalism and to recast it in light of the concrete explanatory aims of the special sciences. We refer to this reformulation as ‘new functionalism’. Recently, Weiskopf (2011a, 2011b) has posited a reformulation of functionalism on the model-based approach to explanation. Generally construed, functionalism is the view that states or processes can be individuated based on what role they play rather than what they are constituted of or realized by. Functionalism is the study of institutions and social facts and their role in maintaining society as an equilibrium.Functionalism about kinds is still the dominant style of thought in the special sciences, like economics, psychology, and biology.It also does not take into account social change and conflict as it is not adaptable to these changes due to its focus on maintaining equilibrium in society. Latent functions are the indirect effects of an institution, for example, when a school takes students on extracurricular activities, this will lead to students being exposed to new learning opportunities which may change their outcomes or perspectives.įunctionalism, however, focuses only on institutions and large groups but not the individual meaning it is limited in its application. Another example of this would be banks providing loans to businesses to provide services to the community the manifest of this is the provision of services to maintain the community/society. The outcomes of institutions are known as manifest functions. ![]() ![]() For example, schools will educate students who will then find jobs and work in the community. All of these social facts have no impact on society but would impact the individual.įunctionalism views all structures, whether social facts or institutions as essential in meeting the needs of society and maintaining the equilibrium. Some examples of social facts are law, religion, birth rates, and death rates. that meet the needs of society and social facts, which are ways of thinking or acting as formed by the society that cannot be influenced by individuals. Functionalism views society as a connected structure between institutions such as schools, media, banks, etc. Functionalism is a perspective of thinking that analyses society on a macrosociological perspective and how each and examines the structures that make up a society and the contribution it makes to societal stability.įunctionalism defines that society is heading towards an equilibrium where society adapts to changes that happen to it. ![]()
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