 Although much, or perhaps most, of the philosophical work on systems biology has focused on explanation, one cannot assume that explanation is the sole aim of systems biology research (MacLeod &amp; Nersessian 2015; Kastenhofer 2013a,b). Design principle may not only explain how biological functions are realized but also allow for explorations of whether the same function could be realized in other or simpler ways (Briat et al. 2016). Thus, synthetic and systems biology also call for philosophers to examine other epistemic aims, such as prediction, control, and design, and well as theoretical and practical interests in understanding the minimal requirements for biological functions and life itself.