A racionalidade na explicação darwiniana da Origem das espécies

Abstract

The Origin of Spectes by Charles Darwin is a landmark in the history of Biology It laid down the foundattons for the modern theory of evolution and influenced several areas of the Natural History as well as other fields of inquiry The Origin of Species brings In the theory according to which Natural Selectton has been the most importam means, although not the only one, of mokication and production of new species In N ature The novelty of Darwin's way of ctrguing in exposing and de fending his theory can be seen in the methods, and explanatory patterns and strategtes he creates and makes use of in the Origin of Spectes These tomes bear on those that have been fundamental to the Philosophy and History of Science, lace the ones related to the role of theory and method, the ways of generattng and applying concepts, and the patterns of explanatton In sei ence These questtons, in turn, lead us te, thtnk about the concept that is in the background of ali dtscusstons on sctence — the concept of scienttfic rattonality Usually, it is understood in terms of a cognitive faculty, an attitude, or a value This way of understandtng rattonality recetves a richer treatment ui Darwtn's work, pointing to a network of multiple and tnteractive meanings.