Eutaxiology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eutaxiology (from the Greek eu – good, and tax – order) is the philosophical study of order and design. It is distinguished from teleology in that it does not focus on the purpose or goal of a given structure or process, merely the degree and complexity of the structure or process.
The term "eutaxiology" was first coined by geologist Lewis Ezra Hicks in his Critique of Design Arguments, in which he argued that the "good order" of the universe by itself can be used to argue for the existence of God in place of the teleological argument, which he finds fatally flawed.[1] However, the concept had been around for centuries, most notably in the works of Aristotle, who offered in Physics the idea of natural design without a designer, stating that "It is absurd to suppose that ends are not present [in nature] because we do not see an agent deliberating".[2] Lucretius, who was also a supporter of accidentalism, similarly stated in De Rerum Natura, "Nothing in the body is made in order that we may use it. What happens to exist is the cause of its use".[3]
Teleology
Eutaxiology is often mistaken for teleology, the study of purpose and design. However, it can be argued that eutaxiology and teleology are in fact complements to each other by stating that a good design and order necessarily implies the ability to achieve a goal or purpose. The two terms are also often used as arguments against each other, implying that eutaxiology is the observation of a process that occurs by chance, while teleology is always designed by some designer.[4]