An Aristotelian reading of the concept of chance in Darwin's theory of evolution

Abstract

Chance is one of the topics discussed below causality and has a special place in the works of Aristotle and Darwin's theory of evolution. A closer look reveals that the meaning of chance for Darwin is the same as the meaning accepted by Aristotle. Chance is the most effective factor of change and transformation that causes modification and adaptation and as a result the evolution of living beings. Natural selection is the law that decides which creatures survive and evolve in the struggle for survival. How and why change occurs, and what are the natural causes of the vast diversity of organisms, is something that is unknown to Darwin. In fact, our ignorance of these causes is called Chance. In a descriptive-analytical way, this article seeks to examine the meaning of chance in Aristotle and Darwin and to clarify its place in natural selection and evolution.