KANT AS A TELEOLOGIST. I05 



true scientific reasoning. On account of tliis one passage 

 taken by itself, we might place Kant beside Goethe and 

 Lamarck, as one of the first founders of the Doctrine of 

 Descent ; and considering the high authority which Kant's 

 Critical Philosophy most justly enjoys, this circumstance 

 might perhaps induce many a philosopher to decide in 

 favour of the theory. But as soon as we consider this 

 passage in connection with the other train of thoughts in 

 the " Criticism of the Faculty of Judgment," and balance 

 it against other directly contradictory passages, we see 

 clearly that Kant, in these and some similar (but weaker) 

 sentences, went beyond himself, and abandoned the teleo- 

 logical point of view which he usually adopts in Biology. 



Directly after the admirable passage which I have just 

 quoted, there follows a remark which completely takes off 

 its edge. After having quite correctly maintained the 

 origin of organic forms out of raw matter by mechanical 

 laws (in the manner of crystallization), as well as a gTadual 

 development of the different species by descent from one 

 common original parent, Kant adds, " But he (the archseolo- 

 gist of nature, that is the palseontologist) must for this end 

 ascribe to the common mother an organization ordained 

 purposely with a view to the needs of all her offspring, 

 otherwise the possibility of suitability of form in the pro- 

 ducts of the animal and vegetable kingdoms (i.e. teleological 

 adaptation) cannot be conceived at all." This addition 

 clearly contradicts the most important fundamental thought 

 of the preceding passage, viz. that a purely mechanical ex- 

 planation of organic nature becomes possible through the 

 Theory of Descent. And that the teleological conception 

 of organic nature predominated with Kant, is shown by 



