Freedom in Evolution
Towards a Biosemiotic Framework for Fundamental Theological Ethics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/SetF.2026.003Parole chiave
free will, biosemiotics, moral agency, natural autonomy, theological ethics, theological method, Neo-Darwinism, non-classical biology, science and theologyAbstract
The article explores and critically reexamines the popular notion that biological evolution leaves little room for metaphysical freedom and free will. It guides the reader through a selection of emerging paradigms in evolutionary and theoretical biology, including the theories of autocatalysis, autopoiesis, epigenetics, and systems ecology, moving towards biosemiotics as its main focus. Special attention is given to the role of the chance-necessity interplay, the (physical) laws of nature, and the alleged directionality of evolution, as well as to the role and the scope of natural selection. The goal is to show how non-classical biology – and especially the emerging field of biosemiotics – can contribute to a better understanding of freedom as enhanced by, harnessed by, or even intrinsic to biological evolution. In doing so, the article also highlights the insights biosemiotics offers for broader engagement between theological methodology and the natural sciences (and vice versa). First, the classical Neo-Darwinian account of chance and necessity is contrasted with alternative approaches. The article then briefly presents key features of the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) and the organismal approach in biology, focusing on the concept of biological autonomy. Finally, it argues for the novelty of the biosemiotic paradigm in accommodating the notions of freedom, agency, and choice, and in methodologically engaging other disciplines, including theology. The conclusion points to possible implications for fundamental theological ethics and anthropology, as well as directions for future research in the field of science and theology.
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