Vaihinger and Darwin: a counter-narrative

This paper argues that the standard account of Darwin’s influence on Vaihinger is more problematic than it seems. The argument is divided into three parts. First, I analyze the way in which Vaihinger engages with Darwin and explain why this undermines the assumption that the theory of natural selection can help us understand Vaihinger’s view of the purposiveness of mental activity. Second, I argue that Vaihinger’s study of Herbartian psychology was the main source of his views on the topic and provide a brief account of the teleological elements contained in the mental mechanics developed by Herbart and his followers. Finally, I consider the implications of this new framework for the interpretation of Vaihinger’s philosophy.