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Single Idea 12044
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / c. Purpose denied
]
Full Idea
Epicurus alone among the ancient schools denies that in nature we find any teleological explanations. Nothing in nature is for anything, neither the world as a whole nor anything in it.
Gist of Idea
Only Epicurus denied purpose in nature, for the whole world, or for its parts
Source
report of Epicurus (fragments/reports [c.289 BCE]) by Julia Annas - Ancient Philosophy: very short introduction
Book Ref
Annas,Julia: 'Ancient Philosophy: a very short introduction' [OUP 2000], p.89
A Reaction
This may explain the controversial position that epicureanism held in the seventeenth century, as well as its incipient atheism.
The
14 ideas
with the same theme
[no aspect of nature contains genuine purpose]:
5990
|
Theophrastus doubted whether nature could be explained teleologically
[Theophrastus, by Gottschalk]
|
5878
|
Eyes could be used for a natural purpose, or for unnatural seeing, or for a non-seeing activity
[Aristotle]
|
12044
|
Only Epicurus denied purpose in nature, for the whole world, or for its parts
[Epicurus, by Annas]
|
12125
|
Teleological accounts are fine in metaphysics, but they stop us from searching for the causes
[Bacon]
|
12730
|
We will not try to understand natural or divine ends, or final causes
[Descartes]
|
1588
|
For Spinoza eyes don't act for purposes, but follow mechanical necessity
[Roochnik on Spinoza]
|
1587
|
Spinoza strongly attacked teleology, which is the lifeblood of classical logos
[Roochnik on Spinoza]
|
12731
|
Final causes are figments of human imagination
[Spinoza]
|
7648
|
The sun and rain weren't made for us; they sometimes burn us, or spoil our seeds
[La Mettrie]
|
7195
|
If the world aimed at an end, it would have reached it by now
[Nietzsche]
|
2905
|
'Purpose' is just a human fiction
[Nietzsche]
|
5308
|
The only human purpose is that created by our genetic history
[Wilson,EO]
|
3504
|
Chemistry entirely explains plant behaviour
[Searle]
|
5501
|
People are trying to explain biological teleology in naturalistic causal terms
[Lycan]
|