Table 2 The main features of design and selection teleology
Types of teleology | Consequence etiology | Assumption of design | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
Design teleology (external) | Something exists because of its consequences that contribute to the fulfillment of an external agent’s intention to achieve a goal | Yes (it is explicit as there is reference to the intentions of an external agent) | Green beetles mutated to become brown in order to conceal themselves, thus fulfilling the intention of an external agent (such as Nature, or God) |
Design teleology (internal) | Something exists because of its consequences that fulfill the intentions/needs of its possessor | Yes (it is implicit as there is reference to the intentions/needs of the organism itself) | Green beetles mutated to become brown in order to conceal themselves, thus fulfilling their intentions/needs |
Selection teleology | Something exists because of its consequences that contribute to the well-being of its possessor, and is thus favored by natural selection | No | Brown beetles had a concealment advantage compared to green beetles, which eventually died out due to predation, and thus only brown beetles survived and reproduced |