The Effects of Aristotelian Teleological Thought on Darwin's Mechanistic Views of Evolution

The Effects of Aristotelian Teleological Thought on Darwin's Mechanistic Views of Evolution

The need to understand organisms has been a much sought goal of

science since its birth as biology. History shows Aristotle and Charles Darwin

as two of the most powerful biologists of all time. Aristotle's teleological

method was supported widely for over 2,000 years. One scientist remarks that

the Aristotelian teleology "has been the ghost, the unexplained mystery which

has haunted biology through its whole history" (Ayala, 10). If Aristotle's

approach has frightened biology, then Darwin, who actually nicknamed himself

the "Devils Chaplain," and his idea of natural selection has virtually dissected

Aristotle's ghost. While Aristotle explained biology through a plan and a

purpose, Darwin debated that randomness and chaos are responsible for the

organic world as we know it. Guiseppe Montalenti, an Italian geneticist and

philosopher of biology, wrote that Darwin's ideas were a rebellion against

thought in the Aristotelian-scholastic way (Ayala, 4). In order to

understand how Darwinism can be considered a revolt against Aristotle, we must

first inspect Aristotle's ideas and thoughts about biology.

Aristotle used teleology to explain the harmony and final results of the

earth. Teleology is the study of the purpose of nature. Aristotle believed

that scientists should follow the plan adopted by mathematicians in their

demonstrations of astronomy, and after weighing the phenomena presented by

animals, and their several parts, follow consequently to understand the causes

and the end results. Using this method, Aristotle constructed causes for body

parts and processes of the human body, such as sundry types of teeth.

Aristotle elucidated on this topic: "When we have ascertained the thing's

existence we inquire as to its nature…when we know the fact we ask the reason"

(Evans, 82).

Despite Aristotle's frequent teleological explanations, he did warn

against teleology leading to misinterpretations of facts. In a short writing on

the reproduction of bees in Generation of Animals, Aristotle was troubled that

there were insufficient observations on the subject, and warns that his theory

is dependent on facts supporting the theory. One twentieth century biologist...

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... to describe evolution

teleologically. This proof, of course, is not possible, as evolution through

natural selection cannot be described as goal-oriented since it happens due to

previous events or transformations, not in anticipation of coming events. If we

were goal-oriented, natural selection would not be supple enough to be useful in

rapidly changing environments (Mayr, 43).

References

Aristotle. The Works of Aristotle, Encyclopedia Britannica. New York, 1952

Ayala, F.J. and Tobzharsky, T. Studies in the Philosophy of Biology.

University of California Press. Berkeley and Los Angeles. 1974.

Burrow, John. Editor introduction to Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species

Penguin books. England, 1968.

Evans, G. The Physical Philosophy of Aristotle. University of New Mexico

Press. Albuquerque, 1964.

Kirk, G., Raven, J. and Schofield, M. The Presocratic Philosophers. Cambridge

University Press. Cambridge. 1983.

Mayr, Ernst. Toward a New Philosophy of Biology. Harvard University Press.

1988.

Moore, Ruth. Evolution. Time-life books. Alexandria, Virginia. 1980.

Simpson, George The Meaning of Evolution. Yale University Press. New Haven

and London. 1949.