This paper provides epistemological support for one of Hume?s numerous
critiques of the teleological arguments for God?s existence. Hume explores
the following question: can we explain the observed harmony of the universe
without appealing to the work of an intelligent creator? The answer,
presented through the character of Philo, appears to be positive. I will try
to defend this position. Following Hume?s theory of space, and exploring the
relation between ideas of the whole and relation, I will show the universe
can be seen as finite space with definite numbers of parts which are
spatially and causally interconnected. Because all changes occur on the
basis of Hume?s principle of causation, we can say the harmony of the
universe is established and maintained precisely because of the changes
happening on the basis of causation. If this is the case, the role of the
intelligent creator appears to be redundant.
This paper aims to examine Kant's views on evolution of organized beings and to show that Kant's antievolutionary conclusions stem from his study of natural history and variability of organisms. Accordingly, I discuss Kant's study of natural history and consider whether his conclusion about impossibility of knowledge about such history expands on the research of history of organized beings. Moving forward, I examine the notion of variability in Kant's philosophy, and show that his theory of organized beings relies on the preformationist conception of variability that provides limited insight into the history of organisms. I explain that Kant's endorsement of preformationism is conditioned by a lack of knowledge about the mechanism that successfully explains adaptation and transmutation of organisms leading towards the creation of new species. Finally, I sumarize the following reasons for Kant's rejection of the hypothesis of evolution: lack of cognitive ability to discover all changes of natural phenomena in different periods of time and adoption of preformationist conception of variability of organized beings. I finish off with a discussion about mechanical inexplicability of organisms and find a third reason Kant believes that the idea of evolution is only "a daring adventure on the part of reason".
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