A Conversation for Why?
Langton's Ant
Recumbentman Started conversation Jan 6, 2012
Fascinaing to read this directly after the Entry on Langton's Ant A3994293
It is easy to agree with the writer (Amy the Ant) that the Ant sets out initially in an apparently predictable pattern ('At first, we might think we can predict the path of the ant because such simple rules must surely result in a simple shape: a square, perhaps'), then appears to change its behaviour to something chaotic ('After a few hundred steps, order starts to break down and chaos ensues'), ony to find its true destiny after ten thousand moves, when it begins to stride purposefully in one direction.
Of course, Amy is joking us: the appearances are all subjective, the ant's behaviour never changes, there is no purpose to its stride. In our minds we may see one, but the ant never will.
Aristotle divided the 'why' question into four categories which include one which has been for quite a while scientifically taboo: the category of teleology, the 'final cause'. The final cause for a cup is its use, for drinking. (The material cause is its clay or silver; the formal cause is its shape; the efficient cause is the cupmaker).
One of Darwin's great achievements was to find a proper place for teleology in science -- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_causes under 'The four causes in modern science'
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