Conceptual Engineering in the Biological Image

Abstract

Conceptual Engineering, and investigations into concepts generally, is becoming a focus of recent academic philosophy. The importance of this movement is upheld here, and I approach the conversation with a metaphysics of concept relations. I claim such relations between concepts feature properties expressible in the language of theoretical biology, particularly as presented by William Wimsatt. By synthesising the properties of robustness and entrenchment with themes in the conceptual engineering conversation, I introduce new concepts of my own and hope to show that a biology, or complexity orientation, can aid the conceptual engineer.