Teleology in the Ayala’s F. J. biophilosophic thought

Abstract

Teleology is today one of the most important issues on Biology debate. Prof. F. J. Ayala strongly supports the uses of teleological explanations in Biology. He maintains: a) Teleological explanations are compatible with causal efficient explanations on living being but non applicable to other natural objects. b) Teleological explanations loss explanation capacity if they expressed in non teleological terms. c) The teleological explanations are the characteristic of Biology as natural autonomous science. However, Prof. Ayala claims that no all biological processes need teleological explanation; they are teleological if they contribute to the survival of the organics systems. Two basic concepts: function and utility together, support the Ayala’s meaning of teleology. In opposition to the authors who refuse the teleology in living being or uses the softer word teleonomy, he remarks the real sense of teleology in Biology: a natural internal teleology (determined or indetermined), but never external as the product of divine o human design.