EVENTS

STOQ 2009 – THE STOQ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
«BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION. Facts and Theories»

Abstracts of the Lectures:

William R. Stoeger, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA

Emergence, Directionality and Finality in an Evolutionary Universe 

Natural selection and symbiogenesis arose as essential processes only in the richly ordered, dynamic and complex environment which developed over 9 billion years since the Big Bang until the formation of the Earth, and at least 500 million years since the formation of the earth until the advent of life. During these epochs of cosmic and chemical evolution – and later with biological evolution – networks of systems and organisms emerged, possessing properties and capabilities far beyond those of their more primitive ancestors. Along with the emergence of such complexity was the emergence, too, of both broad and more focused directionalities and finalities in nature. Here we shall explore the origin and scope of these "teleological"' tendencies, finding them to be essential features – "outcomes"'- of the relationships that develop within and among emergent systems. They are essential aspects of the specific behaviors such systems exhibit. Finally, we shall consider the scientific evidence – or lack of scientific evidence – for an overarchign cosmic teleology. From a strictly scientific perspective, that can neither be supported nor denied. From a philosophical point of view, it can be strongly, but not incontrovertibly, argued.