The Uncertainty of Evolution

It is in the uncertainty of evolution that the creative force of unexpected and undirected change is located. In this paper we examine the focal notion of “contingence”, by choosing as our starting point the most recent scientific discoveries in the field of natural history. Contingence differs from the notion of “hazard” and is not incompatible with the presence, in biological evolution, of patterns akin to laws. The history of life is intelligible, yet it is intrinsically uncertain: a fascinating exploration of possibilities.