We critique the organizational account of biological functions by showing how its basis in the closure of constraints fails to be objective. While the account treats constraints as objective features of physical systems, the number and relationship of potential constraints are subject to potentially arbitrary redescription by investigators. For example, we show that self-maintaining systems such as candle flames can realize closure on a more thorough analysis of the case, contradicting the claim that these “simple” systems lack functional organization. This also raises problems for Moreno and Mossio’s associated theory of biological autonomy, which asserts that living beings are distinguished by their possession of a closed system of constraints that channel and regulate their metabolic processes.

中文翻译：

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组织职能的客观性

我们通过展示其在约束关闭中的基础如何不客观来批评生物功能的组织解释。虽然该帐户将约束视为物理系统的客观特征，但潜在约束的数量和关系可能会被调查人员随意重新描述。例如，我们表明蜡烛火焰等自我维护系统可以在对案例进行更彻底的分析后实现关闭，这与这些“简单”系统缺乏功能性组织的说法相矛盾。这也给 Moreno 和 Mossio 的相关生物自治理论带来了问题，该理论断言生物的区别在于它们拥有一个封闭的约束系统，引导和调节其代谢过程。