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It is not the case that A theory that embeds value-laden selections into ostensibly descriptive species accounts commits a category error between normative and biological explanation.
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Reasons For
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Reason for
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1.
All scientific observation involves selection criteria; choosing which traits to describe already reflects implicit values about relevance.
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2.
Terms like 'adaptation' or 'function' are themselves value-laden (goal-directed language) yet central to legitimate biological explanation.
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3.
The claim assumes a clean is/ought distinction, but describing ecological roles inherently connects factual and normative dimensions seamlessly.
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Reasons Against
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Reason against
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1.
Descriptive claims about species aim to report facts; normative judgments about worth or importance are logically distinct assertions.
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2.
Embedding values (e.g., 'keystone species,' 'invasive') into biological descriptions obscures empirical claims from evaluative ones.
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3.
Category errors occur when properties of one logical type are attributed to another; conflating 'is' with 'ought' exemplifies this.
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