From: jimruttshow8596
The concept of purpose is complex and often misunderstood, particularly when attempting to avoid the notion of a predetermined plan or an “engineering force” setting things in motion, like a divine entity [00:37:56]. This engineering-centric view is characteristic of how the left hemisphere of the brain tends to think, as its strength lies in assembling things for utility [00:38:12].
Purpose in Nature and Life
It can seem absurd to describe natural phenomena, such as a turtle coming ashore, without implying some form of purpose (e.g., “a turtle comes ashore to lay its eggs” versus “a turtle comes ashore and lays its eggs”) [00:38:42]. Many biologists implicitly accept the existence of purpose but are reluctant to state it publicly to avoid accusations of reintroducing a “god” [00:39:01]. Instead, a more nuanced understanding suggests that the universe exhibits “tendencies” towards outcomes like greater complexity and beauty, which are difficult to explain without acknowledging some form of purpose [00:39:09].
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Purpose
A useful distinction when discussing purpose is between finite and infinite games, as conceptualized by James Carse [00:39:33].
- Finite Games: These have a defined, external goal to be achieved, akin to potting all billiard balls to win [00:39:37]. Their purpose is extrinsic [00:40:38].
- Infinite Games: The purpose of these games lies within the process itself. Playing music or a theatrical play serves no external, utilitarian goal; the continuation of the activity is the fulfillment of its purpose [00:39:56]. Their purpose is intrinsic [00:40:33].
This intrinsic purpose contrasts with the idea that the sole purpose of living is to propagate genes through copulation, which reduces complex life to an “absurd level” [00:41:11]. For animals like deer, daily purposes include seeking food or water [00:42:29]. Beyond these immediate needs, there is an overarching purpose in “just being the deer,” embodying a rich inflection of the verb “to be” [00:43:35]. This includes activities like play, which has no utilitarian purpose but is integral to the animal’s existence [00:44:06]. The beauty and elegance perceived in a deer, for instance, are also aspects of its being that contribute to its intrinsic purpose [00:44:19].
Evolution, too, seems to drive towards outcomes beyond mere survival. While some simpler organisms (like actinobacteria) have existed for millions of years, more complex life forms, including humans, have shorter individual lifespans [00:45:01]. This suggests that “fitness” in an evolutionary context may encompass more than just mathematically calculable survival [00:45:39].
Teleology Reframed
The term “teleology” often causes a strong negative reaction among scientists due to its traditional association with a predetermined, divinely ordained plan [00:46:02]. The Catholic Dictionary, for example, defines teleology as the doctrine that there is purpose or finality in the world, that nothing happens by chance, and that a complete account of the universe requires reference to an “all-wise God” [00:46:13].
However, Charles Darwin himself, along with T.H. Huxley, reconciled morphology with teleology [00:47:04]. Their understanding, and the reinterpretation offered, is not one of determinism but of “tendency” [00:47:32]. It posits that certain outcomes are more achievable due to a “movement in a certain direction,” even if the specifics of when or what cannot be known in advance [00:47:43].
This can be understood as a purpose that “draws you from in front” – an ideal or tendency that attracts one towards circumstances for fulfillment, rather than a purpose “mechanically produced from behind” by a series of steps [00:49:51]. For example, deciding to pursue higher education or a career in science involved being “drawn forward” by the concept of knowledge and understanding, rather than following a narrowly predetermined path [00:51:00].
Universe’s Potentia
The universe’s inherent capacity allows for the emergence of phenomena like white-tailed deer [00:53:14]. This is not to say the cosmos had a precise “idea” or an extrinsic purpose to create a deer [00:53:36]. Instead, it exemplifies the potential within the cosmos [00:54:54]. The concept of potential, in this view, holds extraordinary value, perhaps even more than what is actualized, as the universe contains many paths that have not yet been explored [00:55:07].
While the “replay the tape of evolution” thought experiment (famously by Stephen Jay Gould) suggests that complex life like Homo sapiens might not evolve again if the tape were replayed [00:55:18], the repeated evolution of certain features, such as the eye (12 times independently) [00:55:58], indicates that some forms are highly probable due to their survival value [00:56:23]. There also appears to be a general “drive towards increased complexity” in life, though not exclusively, as some life forms simplify (e.g., parasites) [00:56:51]. The decreasing brain size of modern humans, similar to domesticated animals, might suggest a “self-domestication” effect [00:57:37].
The universe’s apparent “fine-tuning” for life, as discussed in the context of the Weak Anthropic Principle, suggests it is “fertile for life” and consciousness [01:08:05]. Rather than resorting to the idea of an infinite number of universes (which can lead to absurd conclusions like Boltzmann brains), an alternative perspective is that the universe contains inherent “tendencies” that make certain outcomes, such as life and consciousness, more probable [01:01:46]. This implies that consciousness might not be confined to biological life but could be a “building block of the cosmos” [01:13:22].