This may seem perilously near to finalism, yet it is no more necessarily so, than the process of photography; we only need a self-adaptive tendency in life-matter responsive to the stimulating-tendency of the environment.
"The Faith of the Millions (2nd series)"
George Tyrrell
And, lastly, as a consequence, that metamorphoses may be divided into two kinds, developmental and adaptional or adaptive.
"On the Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects"
Sir John Lubbock
A clue to the difficulty may, I think, be found in the distinction between developmental and adaptive changes; to which I have called attention in a previous chapter.
"On the Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects"
Sir John Lubbock