Technical Functions, 2010 On the Use and Design of Artefacts Philosophy of Engineering and Technology Series, Vol. 1

Chapter 1  Introduction
Chapter 2 Use, plans and designing 
2.1 Artefacts and actions  
2.2 Use plans 
2.3 Planning in use 
2.4 Designing plans  
2.6 Standards for use plans  
2.7 Evaluating artefact use and design 
Chapter 3 Function theories  
3.1 Function theories for technical artefacts  
3.2 The intentional function theory  
3.3 Cummins.causal-role theory of functions  
3.4 The evolutionist function theory  
3.5 Combining the basic theories
4.1 A use-plan approach towards functions  
4.2 Function ascriptions  
4.3 Assessing the function ascriptions  
4.4 Functional roles  
Chapter 5 Malfunctioning  
5.1 The phenomenon of artefact malfunctioning  
5.2 Having capacities versus exercising them  
5.3 Artefact normativity  
Chapter 6 Engineering, science and biology  
6.2 Engineering  
6.3 Physics and chemistry  
6.4 Biology  
6.5 A biological and generalised ICE-theory  
Chapter 7 The nature of artefacts  
7.1 Functions as conceptual drawbridges  
7.2 Against function essentialism  
7.3 Plan relativism  
7.4 Useful and man-made materials 

First book-length study of technical artefacts and their functions

State-of-the-art resources in analytical philosophy, such as the planning theory of action and analyses of testimony

Provides a framework for describing and evaluating artefact use and design

First and only theory of artefact functions that is faithful to the phenomenology of artefact use

Positioning of the functions of artefacts against those of biological items

Typical example of the new school of philosophy of technology that studies engineering and technology on its own merits