Abstract
Causality in changing natural systems can be seen to involve all four Aristotelian causal categories—material, efficient, formal and final. Final causality of materialistic origin can be found in the need to maintain energy flow continuity within dissipative systems. Each interacting dissipative system acts finalistically so as to attract needed energy. In so acting, it continually disturbs its neighborhood by generating potential energy flow disruptions as results of its activities. Final causality based, in this way, on the energy requirements of dissipative systems will generate formal causes as well. In contrast, the emergence of formal causes in mechanistic systems driven solely by efficient causes is extremely unlikely. We suggest viewing the subordination of phenotypic dissipative systems by genotypic counterparts as an historical example of the emergence of formal causes out of the material necessity of maintaining flow continuity. Functional separation between genotypic and phenotypic dissipative systems can occur if the energies to be dissipated are localized, as is the chemical binding energy of molecules with respect to biological functions at a higher scalar level.
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