期刊名称：Reason Papers : A Journal of Interdisciplinary Normative Studies
印刷版ISSN：0363-1893
出版年度：1988
卷号：13
出版社：Reason Papers
摘要：S o soon as one thinks anthropic cosmology, one thinks teleobgy, In The Anthwpic Cosmological Principle, John D. Barrow and Frank J. Tipler have presented the most exhaustive explanation in recent years of the connection benveen teleological thinking and the construction and interpretation of scientific theory. After sketching the meaning of "anthropic principle," the authors devote the first two hundred or so pages to a historical survey of thinkers who defended, attacked, or tacitly accepted teleology. The chronological scope is impressive, and most of the reporting is accurate. On occasion, informed readers toill be startled, however, as when they are told that "Parmenides claimed that a 'many worlds' interpretation of nature is necessary because of the non-uaiqutntss of the subjective element in our perception and understanding of the ~vorld"( p. 34) Despite such mistakes, the authors will no doubt succeed in impressing upon most readers rhc idea that teleology in human thought is traditional and, perhaps for that reason, justified and noble. They thus set the stage for the acceptance of the anthropic principle as a current expression of that noble tradition. (p. 109
