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Efficient Causation vs. Teleology

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Modern biology, like quantum physics, rejects strict determinism ... designer of the boundary conditions of the 'self-organizing system' of nature ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Efficient Causation vs. Teleology


1
Efficient Causation vs. Teleology
2
Darwins Theory of Natural Selection
  • Darwin's theory of natural selection implies no
    concept of progress
  • According to the classical view of science,
    evolution is not a directional process
  • So why do we tend so much to see evolution in
    evaluative terms?

3
Herbert Spencer
  • Introduced the phrase survival of the fittest
    in his Principles of Biology (1864)
  • Wrote This survival of the fittest . . . is
    that which Mr. Darwin has called 'natural
    selection', or the preservation of favoured races
    in the struggle for life.
  • Spencer used this phrase to reinforce his social
    theories, which came to be called by the name
    Social Darwinism

4
Aristotle's 4 Types of "Cause"
5
Teleology/Study of Final Causes
  • The Greek word telos meaning end or completion,
    is behind the philosophical term, teleology,
    meaning the study of the purposes of things
  • Teleology has been discredited by modern
    scientists

6
Efficient Cause
  • According to the classical view of science, the
    only real cause at work in the universe is the
    interactions of atoms according to the strict
    natural laws of physics
  • Physical events are the real causes behind every
    effect
  • All causation is really bottom-up (from the
    atoms)

7
Conflict Religious Critics of Darwinism
  • Behe argues for Intelligent Design (not for
    "young earth creationism")
  • Organisms are like "mousetraps", irreducibly
    complex interlocking systems that don't work if
    you remove any key parts (Eg. flagella of simple
    bacteria are composed of dozens of different
    proteins)
  • Based on William Paley's teleological argument
    (1803), which uses the analogy A watchmaker is
    to watch as God is to universe
  • Avoid using the G-word

8
Conflict Naturalist Critics of Religion
  • Dawkins asks why would the eye be designed so
    inefficiently if it was the product of
    intelligent design?
  • Answer Because evolution is a process that
    always must create "ad-hoc" solutions from
    existing natural structures

9
Independence Primary and Secondary Causality
  • Secondary Cause In the natural world there are
    always chains of causes (eg. Why are you here?
    Your sperm met your egg, your parents had sex,
    your parents met, your grandparents had sex, etc.
    back to the big bang, are all legitimate
    scientific answers)
  • Primary Cause Explains the existence of the
    entire world of secondary causes

10
Modern Theology on Creationism
  • Roman Catholic and some Protestant theologians
    believe God is the primary cause of the entire
    universe (creationism) but that the whole
    sequence of secondary causation in the universe
    does not necessarily need any direct involvement
    by God
  • God acts through the laws of nature
  • These views are opposed to Biblical literalists
    and their position of young earth creationism

11
Dialogue
  • Religious critics ask whether it is true that
    nature can be explained fully by efficient
    causation alone
  • What about instances of apparent top-down
    causation (influence of a system as a whole on
    sub-systems)?
  • "internal drives of organisms can initiate
    evolutionary changes (Baldwin Effect) such as
  • soldier termites
  • Whales
  • http//www.youtube.com/watch?vrRNYArhCnBQfeature
    fvsr

12
Integration
  • Modern biology, like quantum physics, rejects
    strict determinism
  • Role of apparent chance in evolution leaves
    some room for possible action of God at a higher
    level as the ultimate top-down cause and as the
    designer of the boundary conditions of the
    self-organizing system of nature

13
Can Religion and Science Really be Separated?
  • Is it fair that metaphysical views like
    scientific naturalism and materialism can
    possibly get past the rules protecting the
    separation of "church" and state?
  • Ex If a physics teacher says to a class, "the
    universe is composed of matter and energy" who
    makes it clear to the students that this is a
    philosophically contentious assumption?
  • Or a biology teachers who says, "species come
    from random mutations and the operation of
    natural selection." Who points out that the
    ultimate presence of randomness in the universe
    is a philosophically contentious issue?
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