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Single Idea 5501

[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / c. Purpose denied ]

Full Idea

There is now a small but vigorous industry whose purpose is to explicate biological teleology in naturalistic terms, typically in terms of causes.

Clarification

'Teleology' involves purposes

Gist of Idea

People are trying to explain biological teleology in naturalistic causal terms

Source

William Lycan (Introduction - Ontology [1999], p.10)

Book Ref

'Mind and Cognition (2nd Edn)', ed/tr. Lycan,William [Blackwell 1999], p.10


A Reaction

This looks like a good strategy. In some sense, it seems clear that the moon has no purpose, but an eyeball has one. Via evolution, one would expect to reduce this to causation. Purposes are real (not subjective), but they are reducible.


The 14 ideas with the same theme [no aspect of nature contains genuine purpose]:

Theophrastus doubted whether nature could be explained teleologically [Theophrastus, by Gottschalk]
Eyes could be used for a natural purpose, or for unnatural seeing, or for a non-seeing activity [Aristotle]
Only Epicurus denied purpose in nature, for the whole world, or for its parts [Epicurus, by Annas]
Teleological accounts are fine in metaphysics, but they stop us from searching for the causes [Bacon]
We will not try to understand natural or divine ends, or final causes [Descartes]
For Spinoza eyes don't act for purposes, but follow mechanical necessity [Roochnik on Spinoza]
Spinoza strongly attacked teleology, which is the lifeblood of classical logos [Roochnik on Spinoza]
Final causes are figments of human imagination [Spinoza]
The sun and rain weren't made for us; they sometimes burn us, or spoil our seeds [La Mettrie]
If the world aimed at an end, it would have reached it by now [Nietzsche]
'Purpose' is just a human fiction [Nietzsche]
The only human purpose is that created by our genetic history [Wilson,EO]
Chemistry entirely explains plant behaviour [Searle]
People are trying to explain biological teleology in naturalistic causal terms [Lycan]