5990 | Theophrastus doubted whether nature could be explained teleologically [Theophrastus, by Gottschalk] |
5878 | Eyes could be used for a natural purpose, or for unnatural seeing, or for a non-seeing activity [Aristotle] |
12044 | Only Epicurus denied purpose in nature, for the whole world, or for its parts [Epicurus, by Annas] |
12125 | Teleological accounts are fine in metaphysics, but they stop us from searching for the causes [Bacon] |
12730 | We will not try to understand natural or divine ends, or final causes [Descartes] |
1588 | For Spinoza eyes don't act for purposes, but follow mechanical necessity [Roochnik on Spinoza] |
1587 | Spinoza strongly attacked teleology, which is the lifeblood of classical logos [Roochnik on Spinoza] |
12731 | Final causes are figments of human imagination [Spinoza] |
7648 | The sun and rain weren't made for us; they sometimes burn us, or spoil our seeds [La Mettrie] |
7195 | If the world aimed at an end, it would have reached it by now [Nietzsche] |
2905 | 'Purpose' is just a human fiction [Nietzsche] |
5308 | The only human purpose is that created by our genetic history [Wilson,EO] |
3504 | Chemistry entirely explains plant behaviour [Searle] |
5501 | People are trying to explain biological teleology in naturalistic causal terms [Lycan] |