A Theory Of Life Deduced From The Evolution Philosophy

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Excerpt from A Theory of Life Deduced From the Evolution Philosophy Beneath the abstractions and generalizations of every system of philosophy, worthy of the name, there lies concealed what may be a theory or interpretation of life, using the word "life" in its deepest and widest possible signification. True of philosophical systems in general, this is preeminently so of the Evolution Philosophy. Nay, more: assuming the real worth of any system of philosophy to be properly determinable by the rationality, the logical consistency, and the practical value of its theory of life, we can hardly question the superiority of the Evolution Philosophy over the metaphysical systems which it is destined to supplant. It is no part of our present purpose to advance arguments in support of these propositions except in so far as the exposition presently to be laid before the reader may be considered in this light. No one at all familiar with the subject will need to be told that the central doctrines of the Evolution Philosophy, as herein set forth, are, to all intents and purposes, identical with the cardinal teachings of Herbert Spencer's Synthetic Philosophy. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

If you accept evolutionary theory, can you also believe in God? Are human beings superior to other animals, or is this just a human prejudice? Does Darwin have implications for heated issues like euthanasia and animal rights? Does evolution tell us the purpose of life, or does it imply that life has no ultimate purpose? Does evolution tell us what is morally right and wrong, or does it imply that ultimately 'nothing' is right or wrong? In this fascinating and intriguing book, Steve Stewart-Williams addresses these and other fundamental philosophical questions raised by evolutionary theory and the exciting new field of evolutionary psychology. Drawing on biology, psychology and philosophy, he argues that Darwinian science supports a view of a godless universe devoid of ultimate purpose or moral structure, but that we can still live a good life and a happy life within the confines of this view.

The impact of evolutionary theory on the philosophy of science has been no less profound than its impact on the science of biology itself. Advances in this theory provide a rich set of examples for thinking about the nature of scientific explanation and the structure of science. Many of the developments in our understanding of evolution resulted from contributions by both philosophers and biologists engaging over theoretical questions of mutual interest. This volume traces some of the most influential exchanges in this field over the last few decades. Focal topics include the nature of biological functions, adaptationism as an explanatory and methodological doctrine, the levels of selection debate, the concepts of fitness and drift, and the relationship of evolutionary to developmental biology.