Abstract: Dysfunction is commonly framed in evolutionary theory as either noise or creative destruction. This paper proposes a more precise definition grounded in the Function of Care: Dysfunction occurs when the relationship between a singular and the larger system that sustains it becomes sufficiently imbalanced to threaten the persistence of either or both. Within geological time frames, an irreversible loss of relational variety and recovery capacity indicates evolutionary dysfunction. We distinguish this from change, competition, suffering, and intention, illustrating that the diagnostic applies across scales from the chemical to the ecological, from the social to the artificial. The novel claim is that dysfunction is subtractive, not creative: It removes options so the creativity that sometimes follows collapse is the Function of Care reasserting itself. The implication is that the protection and restoration of variety is a measurable, testable criterion for evaluating any intervention in a complex system.
Keywords: Function of Care, Care primitive, dysfunction, variety, resilience, evolutionary theory, relationship, adaptation.
Title: THE ROLE OF DYSFUNCTION IN EVOLUTION: A Companion to "The Care Primitive in Evolutionary Theory"
Author: Andrew Philps
International Journal of Computer Science and Information Technology Research
ISSN 2348-1196 (print), ISSN 2348-120X (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 106-109
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 24-September-2026
