I have tried to suggest that bacterial purposes are ‘merely’ teleonomic -to borrow the useful term suggested by timtyler- but that human purposes must be of a different order. …
As soon as we start to talk about symbols and representation, I’m concerned that a whole new set of very thorny issues get introduced. I will shy away from these.
My position is that, to the extent that the notion of purpose is at all spooky, that spookiness was already present in a virus. The profound part of teleology is already there in teleonomy.
Which is not so say that humans are different from viruses only in degree. The are different in quality with regard to some other issues involved in rationality. Cognitive issues. Symbol processing issues. Issues of intentionality. But not issues of pure purpose and telos. So why don’t you and I just shy away from this conversation. We’ve both stated our positions with sufficient clarity, I think.
My position is that, to the extent that the notion of purpose is at all spooky, that spookiness was already present in a virus. The profound part of teleology is already there in teleonomy.
Which is not so say that humans are different from viruses only in degree. The are different in quality with regard to some other issues involved in rationality. Cognitive issues. Symbol processing issues. Issues of intentionality. But not issues of pure purpose and telos. So why don’t you and I just shy away from this conversation. We’ve both stated our positions with sufficient clarity, I think.