Abstract

Teleosemantics is the view that semantic classification is a species of functional classification. While it is plausible, I think, that there are semantic functions in the natural world, I want to suggest that not all semantic states are functional. An assumption commonly endorsed by the teleosemantist is that there is a distinction between accidental or incidental contributory effects and functions. However, endorsing that distinction, I will suggest, implies the theoretical possibility of nonfunctional semantics. In fact, plant-to-plant signaling might be an actual instance of that theoretical possibility.