Is natural selection a chimera? Reflections on the ‘survival’ of a principle
My objective is to discuss the persistence of the notion of natural selection in the biological sciences, exploring the fact that: (1) this notion, just like the term culture in anthropology, is historically an inaugural concept in its particular scientific field, and, insofar as both possess a valu...
Enregistré dans:
| 發表在: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/vibrant, |
|---|---|
| 主要作者: | |
| 格式: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| 語言: | Anglais |
| 出版: |
Vibrant
2022
|
| 主題: | |
| 在線閱讀: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| 總結: | My objective is to discuss the persistence of the notion of natural selection in the biological sciences, exploring the fact that: (1) this notion, just like the term culture in anthropology, is historically an inaugural concept in its particular scientific field, and, insofar as both possess a value of heuristic delimitation, both thus came to be considered as explanatory concepts, although today they may be more widely accepted as descriptive in kind; (2) this persistence seems to be equally linked to the fact that the term combines randomness and teleology, but without foregrounding the inherent contradiction; (3) the anthropomorphic metaphors generally used in the description of biological processes, by attributing intentionality to beings lacking in self-determination, presume the existence of a nature defined by processes oriented towards precise ends, endorsing the finalism that, I believe, underlies the idea of natural selection; (4) and, finally, I think that ‘culture’ and ‘natural selection’ correspond to disciplinary labels – for social anthropology and biology respectively – that arose in Victorian Britain, as defined by the Great Divide, but they no longer have explanatory power. |
|---|