Philosophy (Tetsugaku)
Online ISSN : 1884-2380
Print ISSN : 0387-3358
ISSN-L : 0387-3358
Darwinian Revolution and Philosophy
Teruo YOKOYAMA
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2004 Volume 2004 Issue 55 Pages 74-89,22

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Abstract

Origin of Species by Charles Darwin was published in 1859. Darwininan Revolution took place in the 19th century. Ernst Mayr says that now almost everyone is Darwinian and that the only excepton is "creationst" in the US. But the statement about evolution by Pope John Paul II was issued in 1986. Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Danieil Dennett was pubulished the same year.Why Darwinian Revoluiton is contemporary issue in the 21st century.
Until 1970s Darwinian Revolution was restrictede within natural science. Darwin, Huxley and other evolutionalisits were not materialist or naturalist about philosophical or ethical problems. After the Meiji Restoration Japanese society accepted theory of evolution in natural science but did not accepted philosophical materialism or naturalism.
After "life science turn" in 1970s Darwinian Revolution is taken seriously by philosophers. The central question of Darwinian Revolution is about naturalism or materialism. The concept of natural selection is also the critical issue. The anthropic principle or observation selection effect is discussed in philosophy of cosmology. That concept is also significant in philosophy of biology.

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