Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Innate Ideas as a Naturalistic Source of Metaphysical Knowledge

Biology and Philosophy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Cite this article

Abstract

This article starts from the assumption that there are various innate contributions to our view of the world and explores the epistemological implications that follow from this. Specifically, it explores the idea that if certain components of our worldview have an evolutionary origin, this implies that these aspects accurately depict the world. The simple version of the argument for this conclusion is that if an aspect of mind is innate, it must be useful, and the most parsimonious explanation for its usefulness is that it accurately depicts the world. There are a number of important criticisms of this argument. These include the idea that evolutionary justifications are circular, that evolved mental content and principles are not necessarily accurate, and that, if the argument is taken seriously, it has some highly dubious consequences. These criticisms necessitate various qualifications to the initial argument. Nonetheless, it is argued that, in some cases, important conclusions can be drawn about the world from an analysis of evolved contributions to our view of the world. An evolutionary approach cannot provide an ultimate justification for any belief; however, in certain circumstances, it supports the conclusion that a given belief is a reasonable first approximation. To the extent that innate content and principles pertain to topics in metaphysics, they can be viewed as a naturalistic source of metaphysical knowledge.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. R.D. Alexander (1987) The Biology of Moral Systems Aldine de Gruyter Hawthorne, NY

    Google Scholar 

  2. S. Baron-Cohen (1995) Mindblindness: An Essay on Autism and Theory of Mind MIT Press Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  3. P. Boyer (2000) ArticleTitleNatural epistemology or evolved metaphysics? Developmental evidence for early-developedintuitivecategory-specific, incompleteand stubborn metaphysical presumptions Philos. Psychol. 13 277–297 Occurrence Handle10.1080/09515080050128123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Bradie (1986) ArticleTitleAssessing evolutionary epistemology Biol. Philos. 1 401–459 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00140962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D.M. Buss (1989) ArticleTitleSex differences in human mate preferences: evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures Behav. Brain Sci. 12 1–49

    Google Scholar 

  6. D.T. Campbell (1982) Evolutionary epistemology H.C. Plotkin (Eds) Learning, Developmentand Culture: Essays in Evolutionary Epistemology Wiley ChichesterEngland 73–107

    Google Scholar 

  7. D.T. Campbell (1987) Selection theory and the sociology of scientific validity W. Callebaut R. Pinxten (Eds) Evolutionary Epistemology: A Multiparadigm Program Reidel DordrechtNetherlands 139–158

    Google Scholar 

  8. S. Carey E. Spelke (1994) Domain-specific knowledge and conceptual change L.A. Hirschfeld S.A. Gelman (Eds) Mapping the Mind: Specificity in Cognition and Culture Cambridge University Press New York 169–200

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. Carnap (1967) The Logical Structure of the World. Pseudoproblems in Philosophy, 2nd ed Routledge and Kegan Paul London

    Google Scholar 

  10. P. Carruthers (1992) Human Knowledge and Human Nature: A New Introduction to an Ancient Debate Oxford University Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  11. A.J. Clark (1987) The philosophical significance of an evolutionary epistemology W. Callebaut R. Pinxten (Eds) Evolutionary Epistemology: A Multiparadigm Program Reidel DordrechtNetherlands 223–244

    Google Scholar 

  12. F.J. Clendinnen (1989) Evolutionary explanation and the justification of belief K. Hahlweg C.A. Hooker (Eds) Issues in Evolutionary Epistemology State University of New York Press Albany, NY 458–474

    Google Scholar 

  13. R. d’Inverno (1992) Introducing Einstein's Relativity Clarendon Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  14. C. Darwin (1987) Charles Darwin’s Notebooks 1836–1844: Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries Cornell University Press Ithica, NY

    Google Scholar 

  15. D.C. Dennett (1991) Consciousness Explained LittleBrown New York

    Google Scholar 

  16. T. Derksen (1993) The Promise of Evolutionary Epistemology Tilburg University Press Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  17. R. Descartes (1641/1986) Meditations on First Philosophy Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  18. S.W. Gangestad R. Thornhill (1997) Human sexual selection and developmental stability J.A. Simpson D.T. Kenrick (Eds) Evolutionary Social Psychology Erlbaum Hillsdale, NJ 169–196

    Google Scholar 

  19. P. Godfrey-Smith (1996) Complexity and the Function of Mind in Nature Cambridge University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  20. A.H. Goldman (1990) Natural selection, justification, and inference to the best explanation N. Rescher (Eds) Evolution, Cognition, and Realism: Studies in Evolutionary Epistemology Lanham New York 39–46

    Google Scholar 

  21. A.I. Goldman (1999) Knowledge in a Social World Clarendon Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  22. S.E. Guthrie (1994) Faces in the Clouds: A New Theory of Religion Oxford University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. K. Hahlweg C.A. Hooker (1989a) Evolutionary epistemology and the philosophy of science K. Hahlweg C.A. Hooker (Eds) Issues in Evolutionary Epistemology State University of New York Press Albany, NY 21–150

    Google Scholar 

  24. K. Hahlweg C.A. Hooker (1989b) Issues in Evolutionary Epistemology State University of New York Press Albany, NY

    Google Scholar 

  25. D.H. Hamer (2004) The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes Randomhouse London

    Google Scholar 

  26. M.G. Haselton D.M. Buss (2000) ArticleTitleError management theory: a new perspective on biases in cross-sex mind reading J. Personal. Social Psychol. 78 81–91

    Google Scholar 

  27. D. Hume (1739/1978) A Treatise of Human Nature Oxford University Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  28. D. Jones (1996) ArticleTitleAn evolutionary perspective on physical attractiveness Evolut. Anthropol. 5 97–110

    Google Scholar 

  29. R. Joyce (2001) The Myth of Morality Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  30. D. Kahneman P. Slovic A. Tversky (Eds) (1982) Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  31. S. Kaplan (1992) Environmental preference in a knowledge-seeking, knowledge-using organism J.H. Barkow L. Cosmides J. Tooby (Eds) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture Oxford University Press New York 581–598

    Google Scholar 

  32. H. Kornblith (1993) Inductive Inference and Its Natural Ground: An Essay in Naturalistic Epistemology MIT Press Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  33. D.L. Krebs (1998) The evolution of moral behaviors C.B. Crawford D.L. Krebs (Eds) Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology: Ideas, Issues, and Applications Erlbaum Mahwah, NJ 337–368

    Google Scholar 

  34. A.M. Leslie (1994) ToMM, ToBy, and agency: core architecture and domain specificity L.A. Hirschfeld S.A. Gelman (Eds) Mapping the Mind: Domain Specificity in Cognition and Culture Cambridge University Press New York 119–148

    Google Scholar 

  35. J.Y. Lettvin H.R. Maturana W.S. McCulloch W.H. Pitts (1959) ArticleTitleWhat the frog's eye tells the frog's brain Proc. Inst. Radio Eng. 47 140–151

    Google Scholar 

  36. K. Lorenz (1977) Behind the Mirror: A Search for a Natural History of Human Knowledge Harcourt Brace Jovanovich New York

    Google Scholar 

  37. K. Lorenz (1982) Kant's doctrine of the a priori in the light of contemporary biology H.C. Plotkin (Eds) Learning, Developmentand Culture: Essays in Evolutionary Epistemology Wiley Chichester, UK 121–143

    Google Scholar 

  38. R.M. McCauley (2000) The naturalness of religion and the unnaturalness of science F.C. Keil R.A. Wilson (Eds) Explanation and Cognition MIT Press Cambridge, MA 61–85

    Google Scholar 

  39. R.G. Meyers (1990) Evolution as a ground for realism N. Rescher (Eds) Evolution, Cognition, and Realism: Studies in Evolutionary Epistemology Lanham New York 111–118

    Google Scholar 

  40. A.A. Miller (1987) The genesis of atomic physics and the biography of ideas W. Callebaut R. Pinxten (Eds) Evolutionary Epistemology: A Multiparadigm Program Reidel DordrechtNetherlands 267–281

    Google Scholar 

  41. S.J. Mithen (1996) The Prehistory of the Mind: The Cognitive Origins of ArtReligion, and Science Thames and Hudson London

    Google Scholar 

  42. G. Nerlich (1994) The Shape of Space2nd ed Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  43. R. Nozick (1993) The Nature of Rationality Princeton University Press Princeton, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  44. R. Nozick (2001) Invariances: The Structure of the Objective World Belknap Press Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  45. A. Oȁ9Hear (1997) Beyond Evolution: Human Nature and the Limits of Evolutionary Explanation Clarendon Press Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  46. G.H. Orians J.H. Heerwagen (1992) Evolved responses to landscapes J.H. Barkow L. Cosmides J. Tooby (Eds) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture Oxford University Press New York 555–579

    Google Scholar 

  47. L. Petrinovich P. Oȁ9Neill M. Jorgensen (1993) ArticleTitleAn empirical study of moral intuitions: toward an evolutionary ethics J. Personal. Social Psychol. 64 467–478

    Google Scholar 

  48. H. Putnam (1983) Realism and Reason Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  49. W.V. Quine (1969) Ontological Relativity, and Other Essays Columbia University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  50. W.V. Quine (1975) The nature of natural knowledge S. Guttenplan (Eds) Mind and Language: Wolfson College Lectures Clarendon Press Oxford 67–81

    Google Scholar 

  51. L.B. Resnick (1994) Situated rationalism: biological and social preparation for learning L.A. Hirschfeld S.A. Gelman (Eds) Mapping the Mind: Domain Specificity in Cognition and Culture Cambridge University Press New York 474–493

    Google Scholar 

  52. R. Rorty (1979) Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature Princeton University Press Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  53. M. Ruse (1986) Taking Darwin Seriously: A Naturalistic Approach to Philosophy Blackwell Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  54. M. Ruse (1990) Does evolutionary epistemology imply realism? N. Rescher (Eds) Evolution, Cognition, and Realism: Studies in Evolutionary Epistemology Lanham New York 101–110

    Google Scholar 

  55. T.K. Shackelford R.J. Larsen (1997) ArticleTitleFacial asymmetry as an indicator of psychological, emotional, and physiological distress J. Personal. Social Psychol. 72 456–466

    Google Scholar 

  56. T.K. Shackelford R.J. Larsen (1999) ArticleTitleFacial attractiveness and physical health Evolut. Human Behav. 20 71–76

    Google Scholar 

  57. E. Sober (1994) From a Biological Point of View: Essays in Evolutionary Philosophy Cambridge University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  58. E.S. Spelke (1990) ArticleTitlePrinciples of object perception Cognit. Sci. 14 29–56

    Google Scholar 

  59. C.L. Stephens (2001) ArticleTitleWhen is it selectively advantageous to have true beliefs? Sandwiching the better safe than sorry argument Philos. Stud. 105 161–189 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010358100423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. I. Stewart J. Cohen (1997) Figments of Reality: The Evolution of the Curious Mind Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  61. S. Stewart-Williams (2003) ArticleTitleDarwin and Descartesȁ9 demon: on the possible evolutionary origin of belief in an external world Evolut. Cognit. 9 123–130

    Google Scholar 

  62. S. Stewart-Williams (2004) Darwin meets Socrates: evolutionary psychology and the innate ideas debate Massey University dissertation

    Google Scholar 

  63. Stewart-Williams S. and Podd J. in press. Elements of an evolved conceptual framework. In: Fletcher-Flinn C.M. and Haberman G.M. Cognition, Languageand Development: Perspectives from New Zealand. Australian Academic Press, Bowen Hills, Queensland.

  64. S.P. Stich (1990) The Fragmentation of Reason: Preface to a Pragmatic Theory of Cognitive Evaluation MIT Press Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  65. B. Stroud (1985) The significance of naturalized epistemology H. Kornblith (Eds) Naturalizing Epistemology MIT Press Cambridge, MA 71–89

    Google Scholar 

  66. E.F. Taylor J.A. Wheeler (1992) Spacetime Physics: Introduction to Special Relativity, 2nd ed Freeman New York

    Google Scholar 

  67. R. Thornhill (1998) Darwinian aesthetics C.B. Crawford D.L. Krebs (Eds) Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology: Ideas, Issues, and Applications Erlbaum Mahwah, NJ 543–572

    Google Scholar 

  68. R.L. Trivers (1971) ArticleTitleThe evolution of reciprocal altruism Quart. Rev. Biol. 46 35–57 Occurrence Handle10.1086/406755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. G. Vollmer (1984) Mesocosm and objective knowledge: on problems solved by evolutionary epistemology F.M. Wuketits (Eds) Concepts and Approaches in Evolutionary Epistemology: Toward an Evolutionary Theory of Knowledge Reidel DordrechtNetherlands 69–121

    Google Scholar 

  70. G. Vollmer (1987a) On supposed circularities in an empirically oriented epistemology G. Radnitzky W.W. Bartley SuffixIII (Eds) Evolutionary Epistemology, Rationality, and the Sociology of Knowledge Open Court La SalleIL 163–200

    Google Scholar 

  71. G. Vollmer (1987b) What evolutionary epistemology is not W. Callebaut R. Pinxten (Eds) Evolutionary Epistemology: A Multiparadigm Program Reidel DordrechtNetherlands 203–221

    Google Scholar 

  72. D.S. Wilson (2002) Darwin’s Cathedral: Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society University of Chicago Press Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  73. C.D.L. Wynne (2001) Animal Cognition: The Mental Lives of Animals Palgrave Basingstoke

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, McMaster University, L8S 4K1, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Steve Stewart-Williams

Authors
  1. Steve Stewart-Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steve Stewart-Williams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stewart-Williams, S. Innate Ideas as a Naturalistic Source of Metaphysical Knowledge. Biol Philos 20, 791–814 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-004-6835-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-004-6835-7

Keywords

search

Navigation