Charles Sanders Peirce’s Evolutionary Developmental Teleology

Abstract

With this author writing from and working in a context that is partially indebted to process theology, the following essay does not defend the God of classical theism; that is, the omniscient, omnipotent, immutable God defended by Thomas Aquinas in the Summa theologiae, for example. In some very real sense, this essay may only make sense in the context of process theology as appropriated by some Wesleyan theologians, such as Thomas Jay Oord. For example, I make the contention that primordial chaos only makes sense in a process theology that denies of God creatio ex nihilo and instead asserts the co-eternality of the material universe and God. My overall inclination toward process theology will also become clear in that I describe the mediation of the Holy Spirit on and in the universe in ways that resemble the “persuasive power” of God as described by Alfred North Whitehead. As such, Peirce’s teleology is more than a mere purposive pursuit of a predetermined end; it is a developmental teleology. Thus, final causes evolve, and they are not static. Teleology emerged out of the increasing complexification of life on earth. God gives himself away in act of uncontrolling love without any conditions regarding the potential responses to that love. The many and varied manifestations of complexity that (macro-)evolution has given rise to can be seen as a fulfillment of the teleological goals of God. The kenotic creating Spirit is present “in, with, and under” the processes of biological evolution.