Darwin and Darwinism: The Final Cause and Natural Selection
Chapter 3: Darwin and Darwinism
The Final Cause in Aristotle
Aristotle studied the causes that produce and modify living things. He identified four causes: the material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, and the final cause. Aristotle observed that bodies, movements, and animal productions seem to seek an end or goal. For example, the eye is made for seeing. This observation suggests that living things were designed by an intelligence.
Aristotle acknowledged the concepts of chance and purpose (or final cause). However, he rejected the idea that living beings are products of chance, instead favoring the concept of purpose.
To study purpose, Aristotle began with simple objects produced by humans. He observed that human-made objects are created with a specific image or idea in mind. The artist chooses materials and follows a plan to achieve the desired outcome. This order is what Aristotle called the final cause. The person who thinks and plans is the designer.
The final cause is the first and most important cause, initiating all operations needed to reach the end goal or purpose. The study of final causes is called teleology, derived from the Greek word telos, meaning end or goal.
Aristotle believed that a similar cause operates in animals and plants, analogous to human intelligence, but the exact nature of this cause remained unknown to him.
Chapter 1 of Genesis
Christian Revelation states that God is the Creator and Designer of the world. Genesis 1 describes the creation process:
- Day 3: God created vegetation.
- Day 4: God created the sun, moon, and stars.
- Day 5: God created sea creatures and birds.
- Day 6: God created land animals and humans.
According to Genesis, God created man in His image and gave him dominion over the animals. This narrative establishes God as the Designer and Creator, to whom humans owe obedience.
Ussher’s method of dating creation based on biblical generations involves risky assumptions and ignores the possibility of symbolic interpretations. The days of creation, like the divine rest, are likely symbolic.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
In 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, introducing the theory of natural selection. Darwinism proposes that small, chance variations inherited from parents lead to differences among individuals of the same species. In the struggle for survival, the fittest individuals are more likely to survive and pass on their traits to their offspring. This continuous process can lead to the emergence of new species and the extinction of old ones.
According to Darwin, the transformation of species through chance and natural selection is a mechanical phenomenon that leaves no room for purpose or design in nature. This perspective effectively eliminates the concept of a final cause. While Darwin and his disciple Huxley moderated their expressions on this topic, Darwinism was widely interpreted as a materialistic theory of evolution.
Darwin acknowledged a weak form of purpose, which is what the observer perceives. For example, wings serve to fly, but nature does not intentionally plan this function. This weak purpose, existing only for the observer, aligns with the views of immanent philosophers.
Darwin admired the apparent intelligence in living organisms, but he questioned whether this appearance reflected reality. He argued against the idea that structures were created for beauty or to please humans or a Creator. He stated that such doctrines would be fatal to his theory. Darwin presented two key ideas: the evolution of species and materialism, which rejects the existence of a Creator and the concept of purpose. While evolution can be empirically verified, atheism is a materialistic dogma, not a scientific concept.
The Gradualism of Darwin
Darwin believed that changes in living organisms due to chance must be small and continuous to avoid being fatal. This gradualism requires vast amounts of time for new species to emerge. The age of the universe was unknown in Darwin’s time.
How is Darwinism Atheistic?
Darwin’s personal life and his teachings offer insights into the atheistic implications of Darwinism. Darwin abandoned his medical and theological studies to become a naturalist. During his voyage to the Galapagos Islands, he observed variations in species across different islands, leading him to the concept of natural selection.
In his theological studies, Darwin had read works by Anglican theologians who argued for the truth of Christianity through the study of nature. They believed that each species was individually created by God, demonstrating design by a Designer.
Darwin’s different conclusion presented him with a choice: the Bible or his theory of species transformation. He claimed that his religious convictions gradually faded after his visit to the Galapagos Islands. However, his early notebooks reveal materialistic views predating his voyage. He added a reference to the Creator in later editions of On the Origin of Species, admitting privately that he did so against his convictions due to public opinion.
Darwin’s work can be interpreted as presenting atheism as part of science. Darwinism has contributed to the abandonment of Christianity by many. Darwin’s concept of chance becomes the hidden creator of all things.