--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Darwin's greatest achievement was to show…" description: "\"Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the appearance of purpose, planning, teleology (design), and intentionality in the origin and developmen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg" --- # Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the… ![“Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the appearance of purpose, planning, teleology (design), and intentionality in the origin and development of human and animal species was entirely an illusion. The illusion could be explained by evolutionary processes that contained no such purpose at…” quote by John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg) > “Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the appearance of purpose, planning, teleology (design), and intentionality in the origin and development of human and animal species was entirely an illusion. The illusion could be explained by evolutionary processes that contained no such purpose at all. But the spread of ideas through imitation required the whole apparatus of human consciousness and intentionality” [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that perceived purpose in nature is an illusion created by evolution, not actual design. **In simple terms:** Purpose in nature is just a trick of evolution. Key Takeaway Recognize evolutionary explanations. Themes evolution illusion purpose Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - biology education - science communication - philosophical debate Key Concepts teleology consciousness imitation Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports purpose as an illusion? - How does this view affect moral responsibility? A Different Perspective Overlooking emergent complexity can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwin/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Greatest achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-achievement/) [Human consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-consciousness/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humans and animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-and-animals/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Intentionality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentionality/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The Intentionality of the mind not only creates the possibility of meaning, but limits its forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-intentionality-of-the-mind-not-only-creates-the-possibility-of/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Our tools are extensions of our purposes, and so we find it natural to make metaphorical attributions of intentionality to them; but I take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/our-tools-are-extensions-of-our-purposes-and-so-we-find-it-natural-to/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [An utterance can have Intentionality, just as a belief has Intentionality, but whereas the Intentionality of the belief is intrinsic the Intentionality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/an-utterance-can-have-intentionality-just-as-a-belief-has/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [“We are built to act first and reason later. Our minds construct rational stories to justify emotional truths that our bodies have already accepted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amerland/we-are-built-to-act-first-and-reason-later-our-minds-construct/) [David Amerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amerland/) > [the full analysis of the notions of saying something and understanding what one said inevitably involves a concept which, as I will show in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeno-vendler/the-full-analysis-of-the-notions-of-saying-something-and/) Zeno Vendler > [“Goals without a sense of hope often fail to be reached. Hope without a set of goals materializes nothing of value. We need both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amerland/goals-without-a-sense-of-hope-often-fail-to-be-reached-hope-without-a/) [David Amerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amerland/) > [Wanting to win isn't enough. You have to go through a process to improve. That takes patience, perseverance, and intentionality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/wanting-to-win-isn-t-enough-you-have-to-go-through-a-process-to/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“Effective ministry requires both intentionality and flexibility - being intentional about your goals while remaining flexible in your approach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-ho-guo-shun/effective-ministry-requires-both-intentionality-and-flexibility-being/) Justin Ho Guo Shun > [“Fill everything, but own nothing. We are vessels, not containers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fill-everything-but-own-nothing-we-are-vessels-not-containers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm all for lifestyle evangelism, but I'm also in favor of intentionality, where we seek out opportunities for spiritual conversations and are equipped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-m-all-for-lifestyle-evangelism-but-i-m-also-in-favor-of/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [“The only coherent explanation of contingent intentionality is the existence of some necessary being, an agent from whom all other intentionality derives but who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-menuge/the-only-coherent-explanation-of-contingent-intentionality-is-the/) [Angus Menuge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-menuge/) > [“Never believe that villains are hurting people by accident. They want to get better at their craft of breaking jaws just as you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/never-believe-that-villains-are-hurting-people-by-accident-they-want/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) > [Experience and imagination must enter into the very constitution of our thoughts involving concrete individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeno-vendler/experience-and-imagination-must-enter-into-the-very-constitution-of/) Zeno Vendler > [It is through the intentionality of poetic imagination that the poet's soul discovers the opening of consciousness common to all true poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/it-is-through-the-intentionality-of-poetic-imagination-that-the-poet/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [“Unplugging from digital distractions is an act of radical self-care and rebellion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-breniman/unplugging-from-digital-distractions-is-an-act-of-radical-self-care/) [Ken Breniman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-breniman/) ## More by John Searle > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Where consciousness is concerned, the appearance is the reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/where-consciousness-is-concerned-the-appearance-is-the-reality/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [In many cases it is a matter for decision and not a simple matter of fact whether x understands y; and so on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/in-many-cases-it-is-a-matter-for-decision-and-not-a-simple-matter-of/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We often attribute 'understanding' and other cognitive predicates by metaphor and analogy to cars, adding machines, and other artifacts, but nothing is proved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/we-often-attribute-understanding-and-other-cognitive-predicates-by/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [I will argue that in the literal sense the programmed computer understands what the car and the adding machine understand, namely, exactly nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/i-will-argue-that-in-the-literal-sense-the-programmed-computer/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We do not live in several different, or even two different, worlds, a mental world and a physical world, a scientific world and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/we-do-not-live-in-several-different-or-even-two-different-worlds-a/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Whatever is referred to must exist. Let us call this the axiom of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/whatever-is-referred-to-must-exist-let-us-call-this-the-axiom-of/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [You can't \*discover\* that the brain is a digital computer. You can only \*interpret\* the brain as a digital computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/you-can-t-discover-that-the-brain-is-a-digital-computer-you-can-only/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [How do we get from electrons to elections and from protons to presidents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/how-do-we-get-from-electrons-to-elections-and-from-protons-to/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Where conscious subjectivity is concerned, there is no distinction between the observation and the thing observed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/where-conscious-subjectivity-is-concerned-there-is-no-distinction/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [ "Akrasia" \[weakness of will\] in rational beings is as common as wine in France. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/akrasia-weakness-of-will-in-rational-beings-is-as-common-as-wine-in/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Nowadays nobody bothers, and it is considered in slightly bad taste to even raise the question of God's existence. Matters of religion are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/nowadays-nobody-bothers-and-it-is-considered-in-slightly-bad-taste-to/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [The assertion fallacy is the fallacy of confusing the conditions for the performance of the speech act of assertion with the analysis of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-assertion-fallacy-is-the-fallacy-of-confusing-the-conditions-for/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [It seemed to a number of philosophers of language, myself included, that we should attempt to achieve a unification of Chomsky's syntax, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seemed-to-a-number-of-philosophers-of-language-myself-included/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [An utterance can have Intentionality, just as a belief has Intentionality, but whereas the Intentionality of the belief is intrinsic the Intentionality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/an-utterance-can-have-intentionality-just-as-a-belief-has/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) [Explore all 37 John Searle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) Nicholas Roerich > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the appearance of purpose, planning, teleology (design), and intentionality in the origin and development of human and animal species was entirely an illusion. The illusion could be explained by evolutionary processes that contained no such purpose at all. But the spread of ideas through imitation required the whole apparatus of human consciousness and intentionality", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Searle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-show-that-the-appearance-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-show-that-the-appearance-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/john-searle-17370_achievement_darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-sho_1504126.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Darwin's greatest achievement was to show that the appearance of purpose, planning, teleology (design), and…” — John Searle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Searle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Darwin's greatest achievement was to show...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-show-that-the-appearance-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/darwin-s-greatest-achievement-was-to-show-that-the-appearance-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```