Professional paper

Evolution and the Principle of Selection in Vjekoslav Bajsić's Philosophy

Ivan Kešina ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split, Split, Croatia

Abstract

The notion of evolution as it is comprehended today has its roots in the thoughts and works of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) who presented his model of evolution in his work: The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection ... (1859). Neo-Darwinism supplements Darwin's selectional theory of evolution based on new discoveries in science, particularly in genetics.
The first part of the article elaborates Darwin's basic thesis of the selection on the basis of theory of evolution with its two vital elements: creating genetic variability which occur due to spontaneous changes to genetic material (mutation, recombination, etc.); the second fundamental strength of evolution is selection as a natural choice between the carrier of various inheritable value factors.
In the second part the author analyses the notion of evolution as interpreted by V. Bajsić who believes that there is no better model to explain the process of evolution than that of spontaneous mutation and natural selection in autonomous natural sciences.
In the third part of the article the author explains the philosophical implications of evolutionism according to V. Bajsić who as a Christian evolutionist attempts to enlighten the selection scheme (in some its fundamental outlines) as a metaphysical principle. In that context, Bajsić considers that the scheme of selection of natural materials can be used to comprehend God's creational act in nature and we can consider God as a transcendental selector. Namely, as if candidates for survival can emerge from »nothing« at any moment. God's »yes« has a vital relationship towards the Being and introduces it to the area of survival while God's »no« »returns« it to nothingness.

Keywords

permanence of species; evolution; principle of selection; God - transcendental selector

Hrčak ID:

45151

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/45151

Publication date:

18.12.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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