Teleology in the Ancient World : Philosophical and Medical Approaches

Teleology is the study of ends or purposes. This collection of twelve essays examines ancient philosophical and medical approaches to a subject that has often been conflated with theological arguments advocated by proponents of creationism and intelligent design. In so doing, it will enable a better evaluation of teleological argumentation.

The ancient origins of teleological concepts are sometimes either conveniently forgotten or given a distorted appearance. On the one hand, ancient teleology has been obscured by the theological cloak of creationism. On the other, Darwinists have sometimes failed to give due consideration to the variety and subtlety of teleology''s intellectual antecedents. The purpose of this book is to restore the balance by looking at the manifold ways in which teleology in antiquity was viewed. The volume, consisting of twelve essays by leading authorities in their fields, examines the ways in which teleological arguments were used in antiquity and how these discussions inform and influence current debates on evolution, creationism and intelligent design. As well as examining philosophical contributions to the subject, a specific aim is to examine ancient medical thinking on this topic and its relationship to ancient philosophical ideas.