Self, intentionality, and immunological explanation.
In this paper I propose that there are a number of conceptual reasons to preserve self-concepts in immunology. First, I contend that immunological language, including self-terminology, is neither genuinely anthropomorphic, nor perniciously teleological. Furthermore, although teleology associated with future-directed purposive intent is clearly inappropriate in biological contexts, a special type of teleology, intentionality-as-aboutness, needs to be present if there is to be functional explanation in immunology. Second, based on an analogy with the human self, a self comprised of both non-specific innate functions and somatic self-representation, I claim that self-terminology is very appropriate in immunological contexts. Finally, given the appropriateness of self-concepts in immunology, I suggest that the most satisfactory conceptual structure for self-nonself discrimination probably includes both innate and somatic mechanisms.
Department of Philosophy, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
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D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*