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Counterflow

Del Ratzsch presents this term in his writing on design in Nature, Design and Science. Counterflow refers to things running contrary to what, in the relevant sense, would (or might) have resulted or occurred had nature operated freely. When agents redirect, restrain or constrain nature, they leave counterflow marks. Ratzsch goes on to say that counterflow can be injected into initial states, processes, or results (p.7). Counterflow is important in identifying agent activity in a given structure.

Del Ratzsch distinguishes between primary and secondary counterflow marks. Primary counterflow characteristics can be found in the following ways (pp.10-11):

Parts vs. Systems: Individual components of the system may exhibit counterflow, or it may be only as a whole system that counterflow can be identified in a particular structure.

Surface vs. Deep: There may be obvious counterflow properties, or more subtle and complicated properties, such as medium-run sequence probabilities.

Direct vs. Indirect: Recognition can be immediate or more inferential

Synchronic vs. Diachronic: Counterflow can be evident over time (diachronically) or all at once (synchronically)

Hard vs. Soft: Soft counterflow recognition required knowledge of relevant valuations. Hard required only familiarity with nature’s normal flow.

Secondary marks of counterflow include: Complicated development, complex structures, coordination of components, adjustment of means to end, interlocking functions, extreme improbability, purposelike behaviors, and others (p.12).

Book Resources On Counterflow

Nature, Design, and Science: The Status of Design in Natural Science by Del Ratzsch

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