Table 1 The main types of causal explanations and their features
“Why?” question | Causal explanation | Temporal dimension | Level of reference | Causes | Type of causal explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
“Why do we have a heart?” | Because there was selection for this organ that thus became prevalent in our ancestors | Backward-looking | Population | Ultimate causes (evolution) | Evolutionary explanation |
Because the cells in that area of the body of the individual were differentiated to become heart muscle | Backward-looking | Individual | Proximate causes (development) | Developmental explanation | |
In order to pump blood | Forward-looking | Population or individual | Final causes (function) | Teleological explanation |