Chapter 26 Object-Oriented Method and the Relationship Between Structure and Function of Technical Artifacts

Abstract The abstract discusses a challenge in the philosophy of technology and engineering science regarding the relationship between the structure and function of a technical artifact. The key points are: Challenge in Philosophy of Technology and Engineering Science: There's a need to understand the relationship between a technical artifact's structure (how it's built) and its function (what it does). However, current philosophical approaches in technology and engineering science struggle to support the idea that a significant relationship exists between these two aspects. Empirical Turn and Functional Decomposition: The Empirical Turn, a recent development in the philosophy of technology and engineering science, attempts to address this issue. Jeroen de Ridder's 'Functional Decomposition' is a reductive design methodology presented in this context. It attempts to explain the structure-function relationship through rational reconstruction, which is a method ...