Quem não está cansado de ouvir o mantra que Darwin, ao escrever seu livro Origem das Espécies acabou de uma vez por todas com a teleologia em biologia?
Nada mais falso: Darwin, quem diria, era 100% teleologista:
Darwin was a teleologist
Journal Biology and Philosophy
Publisher Springer Netherlands
ISSN 0169-3867 (Print) 1572-8404 (Online)
Issue Volume 8, Number 4 / October, 1993
DOI 10.1007/BF00857687
Pages 409-421
Subject Collection Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
SpringerLink Date Tuesday, December 28, 2004
James G. Lennox1
(1) Department of History and Philosophy of Science 1017 Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, 15260 Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Abstract
It is often claimed that one of Darwin's chief accomplishments was to provide biology with a non-teleological explanation of adaptation. A number of Darwin's closest associates, however, and Darwin himself, did not see it that way. In order to assess whether Darwin's version of evolutionary theory does or does not employ teleological explanation, two of his botanical studies are examined. The result of this examination is that Darwin sees selection explanations of adaptations as teleological explanations. The confusion in the nineteenth century about Darwin's attitude to teleology is argued to be a result of Darwin's teleological explanations not conforming to either of the dominant philosophical justifications of teleology at that time. Darwin's explanatory practices conform well, however, to recent defenses of the teleological character of selection explanations.
Key words Adaptation - Darwin - final cause - natural selection - plant sexuality - teleology
I would like to thank John Beatty, David Hull and one of this journal''s readers for constructive comments on an earlier draft of this paper.'
Abstract
It is often claimed that one of Darwin's chief accomplishments was to provide biology with a non-teleological explanation of adaptation. A number of Darwin's closest associates, however, and Darwin himself, did not see it that way. In order to assess whether Darwin's version of evolutionary theory does or does not employ teleological explanation, two of his botanical studies are examined. The result of this examination is that Darwin sees selection explanations of adaptations as teleological explanations. The confusion in the nineteenth century about Darwin's attitude to teleology is argued to be a result of Darwin's teleological explanations not conforming to either of the dominant philosophical justifications of teleology at that time. Darwin's explanatory practices conform well, however, to recent defenses of the teleological character of selection explanations.
Key words Adaptation - Darwin - final cause - natural selection - plant sexuality - teleology
I would like to thank John Beatty, David Hull and one of this journal''s readers for constructive comments on an earlier draft of this paper.'
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NOTA IMPERTINENTE DESTE BLOGGER:
Todo ídolo tem pés de barro. O pé de barro de Darwin: ele era teleologista apesar de a Nomenklatura científica e a Galera dos meninos e meninas de Darwin negarem de pés juntos. Mas, aqui neste blog é assim: a gente mata a cobra de Down e mostra o pau! Pena que durante o meu mestrado em História da Ciência na PUC-SP eu não achei este artigo do Lennox. Tivesse achado antes, minha dissertação teria tomado outro rumo.
Fui, nem sei por que, pensando que a ideia de Darwin não é esta Coca-Cola toda que dizem, oops uma Brastemp que dizem por aí.
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