達爾文自從1859年出版《物種源始》以來, 一般認為他的演化論不含
目的論的觀點,亦即,演化的方向是沒有目的的:天擇本身是盲目的,沒有既
定的目標,不含任何計劃,也不預見未來。著名的生物學家Ernst Mayr主張
,達爾文的演化論全然不含目的論,足堪作為拒斥宇宙目的論的代表; 這跟
這跟一般人所理解的達爾文的無神論主張頗為相符。
我的論文所要挑戰的是:許多學者,包括Mayr在內, 他們主張達爾文的
演化論全然不含目的論的觀點。 我將論述,達爾文的演化論「隱含」目的
論的觀點。 其間的關鍵是:天擇「本身」雖然是盲目的,沒有既定的目標,
不含任何計劃,也不預見未來(這幾點我贊同達爾文的觀點, 也贊成Mayr對
達爾文的詮釋); 但我認為,天擇並非空無內容的東西,當天擇作用在物種,
尤其是動物身上時,物種基於奮鬥求生存的原理,有可能會採取一些有意識
的,有目的的行為以利其生存。物種也有可能有某種審美上的偏好與抉擇,
比如雌鳥偏好跟羽毛美麗的雄鳥為伴。如果這些行為牽涉到行為者的心靈
的運作方式的話,尤其是牽涉到行為者具有在多種行動當中,自主地選擇一
種行動的可能性,亦即具有某種自由意志以及「多中選一」的可能性的話,
那麼,我們似乎可以說,物種的心靈參與了演化的歷程。 我認為,在達爾文
的演化論,隱含這樣的觀點。這正是我這本論文所要證明的,也是我有別
於一般學者對達爾文的演化論的解讀所在。

Since Darwin published The Origin of Species in 1859, it was
said that in Darwin''s theory of evolution , there is no views of
teleology,that is,there is no teleology in the direction of evo-
lution: natural selection itself is blind , without given goals,
contains no plans , and foresees nothing. The famous biologist
Ernst Mayr argued that there is altogether no teleology in Dar-
win''s theory of evolution , and Darwin can be seen as the repre-
sentative of the man rejecting teleology in cosmology. This view
is rather consistent of Darwin''s atheism understood by the popu-
lar.
What I want to challenge in my thesis is the view proposed
by many scholars,including Mayr,that there is entirely no teleo-
logy in Darwin''s theory of evolution. I will argue that there is
a little teleology in Darwin''s theory of evolution. The point is
:althought natural selection ‘itself’ is blind , without given
goals,contains no plans , and foresees nothing (I approves these
views of Darwin and I also approve Mayr''s explanation of the
views of Darwin) , but I contend that natural selection is not
empty , and when natural selection operates on the species,espe-
cially on the animals,according to the principle of struggle for
existence , the species maybe adopt some conscious, teleological
behaviors to save their lifes. The species may also possess some
esthetical preference or decisions , such as female birds prefer
to mate with the male birds with beautiful plumage. If these be-
haviors are concerning with the minds of the agents , especially
with the free choice of the agents from many possibilities, then
it seems can be said that the minds of the agents shared with
the process of evolution. I contend that there is somewhat this
sense in Darwin''s theory of evolution. This is what I want to
prove in my thesis.