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class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>The Great Chain</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-The_Great_Chain-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle The Great Chain subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-The_Great_Chain-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-God" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#God"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>God</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-God-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Angelic_beings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Angelic_beings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Angelic beings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Angelic_beings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Humanity" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Humanity"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Humanity</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Humanity-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Animals" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Animals"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>Animals</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Animals-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Plants" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Plants"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.5</span> <span>Plants</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Plants-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Minerals" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Minerals"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.6</span> <span>Minerals</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Minerals-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Natural_science" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Natural_science"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Natural science</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Natural_science-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Natural science subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Natural_science-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-From_Aristotle_to_Linnaeus" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#From_Aristotle_to_Linnaeus"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>From Aristotle to Linnaeus</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-From_Aristotle_to_Linnaeus-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_alchemy" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_alchemy"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>In alchemy</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_alchemy-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Scala_Naturae_in_evolution" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Scala_Naturae_in_evolution"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.3</span> <span><i>Scala Naturae</i> in evolution</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Scala_Naturae_in_evolution-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Political_implications" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Political_implications"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Political implications</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Political_implications-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Adaptations_and_similar_concepts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Adaptations_and_similar_concepts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Adaptations and similar concepts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Adaptations_and_similar_concepts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Great chain of being</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 24 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-24" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">24 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A9_%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%AF_%D8%B9%D8%B8%D9%85%D9%89" title="سلسلة وجود عظمى – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="سلسلة وجود عظمى" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be-x-old mw-list-item"><a href="https://be-tarask.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D1%8F%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D1%83%D0%B3_%D0%B1%D1%8B%D1%86%D1%8C%D1%86%D1%8F" title="Вялікі ланцуг быцьця – Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" lang="be-tarask" hreflang="be-tarask" data-title="Вялікі ланцуг быцьця" data-language-autonym="Беларуская (тарашкевіца)" data-language-local-name="Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская (тарашкевіца)</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escala_de_la_natura" title="Escala de la natura – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Escala de la natura" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cy mw-list-item"><a href="https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadwyn_Bod" title="Cadwyn Bod – Welsh" lang="cy" hreflang="cy" data-title="Cadwyn Bod" data-language-autonym="Cymraeg" data-language-local-name="Welsh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cymraeg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_Naturae" title="Scala Naturae – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Scala Naturae" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olemise_ahel" title="Olemise ahel – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Olemise ahel" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%87_%DA%A9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86_%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C" title="زنجیره کلان هستی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="زنجیره کلان هستی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_natur%C3%A6" title="Scala naturæ – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Scala naturæ" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gl mw-list-item"><a href="https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Galician" lang="gl" hreflang="gl" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Galego" data-language-local-name="Galician" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Galego</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%A1%B4%EC%9E%AC%EC%9D%98_%EB%8C%80%EC%82%AC%EC%8A%AC" title="존재의 대사슬 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="존재의 대사슬" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rantai_keberadaan" title="Rantai keberadaan – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Rantai keberadaan" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-la mw-list-item"><a href="https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_naturae" title="Scala naturae – Latin" lang="la" hreflang="la" data-title="Scala naturae" data-language-autonym="Latina" data-language-local-name="Latin" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_natur%C3%A6" title="Scala naturæ – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Scala naturæ" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturens_trinnstige" title="Naturens trinnstige – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Naturens trinnstige" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wielki_%C5%82a%C5%84cuch_bytu" title="Wielki łańcuch bytu – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Wielki łańcuch bytu" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_natur%C3%A6" title="Scala naturæ – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Scala naturæ" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%83%D1%89%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2" title="Лестница существ – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Лестница существ" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_Naturae" title="Scala Naturae – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Scala Naturae" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCy%C3%BCk_varl%C4%B1k_zinciri" title="Büyük varlık zinciri – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Büyük varlık zinciri" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%98%E5%9C%A8%E5%B7%A8%E9%8F%88" title="存在巨鏈 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="存在巨鏈" 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.hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the song, see <a href="/wiki/The_Great_Chain_of_Being_(song)" class="mw-redirect" title="The Great Chain of Being (song)">The Great Chain of Being (song)</a>.</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png/300px-Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png" decoding="async" width="300" height="433" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png/450px-Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png/600px-Great_Chain_of_Being_2.png 2x" data-file-width="2092" data-file-height="3016" /></a><figcaption>1579 drawing of the Great Chain of Being from <a href="/w/index.php?title=Didacus_Valades&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Didacus Valades (page does not exist)">Didacus Valades</a><span class="noprint" style="font-size:85%; font-style: normal;"> [<a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_de_Valad%C3%A9s" class="extiw" title="es:Diego de Valadés">es</a>]</span>, <i>Rhetorica Christiana</i></figcaption></figure> <p>The <b>great chain of being</b> is a hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought by medieval <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a> to have been decreed by <a href="/wiki/God" title="God">God</a>. The chain begins with God and descends through <a href="/wiki/Angel" title="Angel">angels</a>, <a href="/wiki/Human" title="Human">humans</a>, <a href="/wiki/Animal" title="Animal">animals</a> and <a href="/wiki/Plant" title="Plant">plants</a> to <a href="/wiki/Mineral" title="Mineral">minerals</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The great chain of being (from <a href="/wiki/Latin_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Latin language">Latin</a> <i> <b>scala naturae</b></i> 'ladder of being') is a concept derived from <a href="/wiki/Plato" title="Plato">Plato</a>, <a href="/wiki/Aristotle" title="Aristotle">Aristotle</a> (in his <i><a href="/wiki/Historia_Animalium" class="mw-redirect" title="Historia Animalium">Historia Animalium</a></i>), <a href="/wiki/Plotinus" title="Plotinus">Plotinus</a> and <a href="/wiki/Proclus" title="Proclus">Proclus</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Further developed during the <a href="/wiki/Middle_Ages" title="Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a>, it reached full expression in early modern <a href="/wiki/Neoplatonism" title="Neoplatonism">Neoplatonism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Divisions">Divisions</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Divisions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The chain of being hierarchy has God at the top,<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> above angels, which like him are entirely <a href="/wiki/Spirit_(animating_force)" title="Spirit (animating force)">spirit</a>, without material bodies, and hence <a href="/wiki/Immutability_(theology)" title="Immutability (theology)">unchangeable</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Beneath them are humans, consisting both of spirit and matter; they change and die, and are thus essentially impermanent.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194326_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194326-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Lower are animals and plants. At the bottom are the mineral materials of the earth itself; they consist only of matter. Thus, the higher the being is in the chain, the more attributes it has, including all the attributes of the beings below it.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194325–26_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194325–26-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The minerals are, in the medieval mind, a possible exception to the <a href="/wiki/Immutability_(theology)" title="Immutability (theology)">immutability</a> of the material beings in the chain, as <a href="/wiki/Alchemy" title="Alchemy">alchemy</a> promised to turn lower elements like <a href="/wiki/Lead" title="Lead">lead</a> into those higher up the chain, like <a href="/wiki/Silver" title="Silver">silver</a> or <a href="/wiki/Gold" title="Gold">gold</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194359_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194359-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="The_Great_Chain">The Great Chain</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: The Great Chain"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Great Chain of being links God, angels, humans, animals, plants, and minerals.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The links of the chain are: </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="God">God</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: God"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>God is the creator of all things. Many religions, such as <a href="/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Judaism</a>, <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Islam" title="Islam">Islam</a> believe he created the entire universe and everything in it. He has spiritual attributes found in angels and humans. God has unique attributes of <a href="/wiki/Omnipotence" title="Omnipotence">omnipotence</a>, <a href="/wiki/Omnipresence" title="Omnipresence">omnipresence</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Omniscience" title="Omniscience">omniscience</a>. He is the model of perfection in all of creation.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Angelic_beings">Angelic beings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Angelic beings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Christian_angelology" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian angelology">Christian angelology</a></div> <p>In the <a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Colossians" title="Epistle to the Colossians">Epistle to the Colossians</a> sets out a partial list: "everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers – all things were created through him and for him."<sup id="cite_ref-Colossians_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Colossians-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Ephesians" title="Epistle to the Ephesians">Epistle to the Ephesians</a> also lists several entities: "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come".<sup id="cite_ref-Ephesians_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ephesians-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the 5th and 6th centuries, <a href="/wiki/Pseudo-Dionysius_the_Areopagite" title="Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite">Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite</a> set out a more elaborate hierarchy, consisting of three lists, each of three types:<sup id="cite_ref-Price_2021_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Price_2021-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237032888/mw-parser-output/.tmulti">.mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner{display:flex;flex-direction:column}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{display:flex;flex-direction:row;clear:left;flex-wrap:wrap;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{margin:1px;float:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .theader{clear:both;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;align-self:center;background-color:transparent;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbcaption{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-left{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-right{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-center{text-align:center}@media all and (max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbinner{width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:none!important;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{justify-content:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{float:none!important;max-width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle .thumbcaption{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow>.thumbcaption{text-align:center}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner img{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner img{background-color:white}}</style><div class="thumb tmulti tright"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:288px;max-width:288px"><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:142px;max-width:142px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg/140px-Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg" decoding="async" width="140" height="213" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg/210px-Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg/280px-Nine_orders_of_angels.jpeg 2x" data-file-width="428" data-file-height="650" /></a></span></div><div class="thumbcaption"><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox" class="mw-redirect" title="Eastern Orthodox">Eastern Orthodox</a> icon of <a href="/wiki/Christian_angelology" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian angelology">nine orders of angels</a></div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:142px;max-width:142px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg/140px-Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg" decoding="async" width="140" height="184" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg/210px-Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg/280px-Die_Leiter_des_Auf-_und_Abstiegs.jpg 2x" data-file-width="399" data-file-height="524" /></a></span></div><div class="thumbcaption">The mediaeval <i>scala naturae</i> as a staircase, implying the <a href="/wiki/Orthogenesis" title="Orthogenesis">possibility of progress</a>:<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Ramon_Llull" title="Ramon Llull">Ramon Llull</a>'s <i>Ladder of Ascent and Descent of the Mind</i>, 1305</div></div></div></div></div> <ul><li>Angels of presence, praising God <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Seraphim" class="mw-redirect" title="Seraphim">Seraphim</a> – spirits of love</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cherubim" class="mw-redirect" title="Cherubim">Cherubim</a> – spirits of harmony</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Throne_(angel)" title="Throne (angel)">Thrones</a><sup id="cite_ref-Colossians_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Colossians-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> – record keepers of universal laws</li></ul></li> <li>Angels of government, spreading light <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dominion_(angel)" title="Dominion (angel)">Dominions</a><sup id="cite_ref-Colossians_12-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Colossians-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Ephesians_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ephesians-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> – spirits of wisdom and knowledge</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Angels_in_Christianity#Virtues" title="Angels in Christianity">Virtues</a> – angels of movement and <a href="/wiki/Free_will_in_theology" title="Free will in theology">free will</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Powers_(angel)" class="mw-redirect" title="Powers (angel)">Powers</a><sup id="cite_ref-Colossians_12-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Colossians-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Ephesians_13-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ephesians-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> – angels of form and space</li></ul></li> <li>Angels of revelation, able to communicate with humans <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Principality_(angel)" class="mw-redirect" title="Principality (angel)">Principalities</a><sup id="cite_ref-Ephesians_13-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ephesians-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> – angels of time and personality</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Archangel" title="Archangel">Archangels</a> – powerful angels superior to ordinary angels</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Angel" title="Angel">Angels</a> – governors of spirits of nature</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Humanity">Humanity</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Humanity"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Humans uniquely share spiritual attributes with God and the angels above them, <a href="/wiki/Love" title="Love">Love</a> and language, and physical attributes with the animals below them, like having material bodies that experienced emotions and sensations such as lust and pain, and physical needs such as hunger and thirst.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:BonnetChain.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/BonnetChain.jpg/220px-BonnetChain.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="1435" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/BonnetChain.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="303" data-file-height="1977" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Charles_Bonnet" title="Charles Bonnet">Charles Bonnet</a>'s chain of being from <i>Traité d'insectologie</i>, 1745</figcaption></figure> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Animals">Animals</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Animals"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Animals have senses, are able to move, and have physical appetites. The <a href="/wiki/Apex_predator" title="Apex predator">apex predator</a> like the <a href="/wiki/Lion" title="Lion">lion</a>, could move vigorously, and has powerful senses like keen eyesight and the ability to smell their prey from a distance, while a lower order of animals might wiggle or crawl, or like <a href="/wiki/Oyster" title="Oyster">oysters</a> were sessile, attached to the sea-bed. All, however, share the senses of touch and taste.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Plants">Plants</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Plants"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Plants lacked sense organs and the ability to move, but they could grow and reproduce. The highest plants have important healing attributes within their leaves, buds, and flowers.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Lower plants included <a href="/wiki/Fungi" class="mw-redirect" title="Fungi">fungi</a> and <a href="/wiki/Moss" title="Moss">mosses</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Minerals">Minerals</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Minerals"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>At the bottom of the chain, minerals were unable to move, sense, grow, or reproduce. Their attributes were being solid and strong, while the gemstones possessed magic. The king of gems was the <a href="/wiki/Diamond" title="Diamond">diamond</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Natural_science">Natural science</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Natural science"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="From_Aristotle_to_Linnaeus">From Aristotle to Linnaeus</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: From Aristotle to Linnaeus"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Aristotle%27s_biology#Classification" title="Aristotle's biology">Aristotle's biology § Classification</a></div> <p>The basic idea of a ranking of the world's organisms goes back to <a href="/wiki/Aristotle%27s_biology" title="Aristotle's biology">Aristotle's biology</a>. In his <i><a href="/wiki/History_of_Animals" title="History of Animals">History of Animals</a></i>, where he ranked animals over plants based on their ability to move and sense, and graded the animals by their reproductive mode, live birth being "higher" than laying cold eggs, and possession of blood, warm-blooded mammals and birds again being "higher" than "bloodless" invertebrates.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELeroi2014111–119_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELeroi2014111–119-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Aristotle's non-religious concept of higher and lower organisms was taken up by <a href="/wiki/Natural_philosophers" class="mw-redirect" title="Natural philosophers">natural philosophers</a> during the <a href="/wiki/Scholasticism" title="Scholasticism">Scholastic period</a> to form the basis of the <i>Scala Naturae</i>. The <i>scala</i> allowed for an ordering of beings, thus forming a basis for classification where each kind of mineral, plant and animal could be slotted into place. In medieval times, the great chain was seen as a God-given and unchangeable ordering. In the <a href="/wiki/Northern_Renaissance" title="Northern Renaissance">Northern Renaissance</a>, the scientific focus shifted to biology; the threefold division of the chain below humans formed the basis for <a href="/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus" title="Carl Linnaeus">Carl Linnaeus</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Systema_Natur%C3%A6" class="mw-redirect" title="Systema Naturæ">Systema Naturæ</a></i> from 1737, where he divided the physical components of the world into the three familiar <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_(biology)" title="Kingdom (biology)">kingdoms</a> of minerals, plants and animals.<sup id="cite_ref-Linn1758_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Linn1758-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="In_alchemy">In alchemy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: In alchemy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Alchemy" title="Alchemy">Alchemy</a> used the great chain as the basis for its cosmology. Since all beings were linked into a chain, so that there was a fundamental unity of all <a href="/wiki/Matter" title="Matter">matter</a>, the transformation from one place in the chain to the next might, according to alchemical reasoning, be possible. In turn, the unit of the matter enabled alchemy to make another key assumption, the <a href="/wiki/Philosopher%27s_stone" title="Philosopher's stone">philosopher's stone</a>, which somehow gathered and concentrated the universal spirit found in all matter along the chain, and which <i><a href="/wiki/Ex_hypothesi" class="mw-redirect" title="Ex hypothesi">ex hypothesi</a></i> might enable the alchemical transformation of one substance to another, such as the base metal <a href="/wiki/Lead" title="Lead">lead</a> to the noble metal <a href="/wiki/Gold" title="Gold">gold</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Scala_Naturae_in_evolution"><i>Scala Naturae</i> in evolution</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Scala Naturae in evolution"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Orthogenesis" title="Orthogenesis">Orthogenesis</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Human_pedigree.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Human_pedigree.jpg/170px-Human_pedigree.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="199" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Human_pedigree.jpg/255px-Human_pedigree.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Human_pedigree.jpg/340px-Human_pedigree.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2329" data-file-height="2723" /></a><figcaption>The human pedigree <a href="/wiki/Recapitulation_theory" title="Recapitulation theory">recapitulating its phylogeny</a> back to <a href="/wiki/Amoeba" title="Amoeba">amoeba</a> shown as a reinterpreted chain of being with living and <a href="/wiki/Fossil" title="Fossil">fossil</a> animals. From a critique of <a href="/wiki/Ernst_Haeckel" title="Ernst Haeckel">Ernst Haeckel</a>'s theories, 1873.</figcaption></figure> <p>The set nature of species, and thus the absoluteness of creatures' places in the great chain, came into question during the 18th century. The dual nature of the chain, divided yet united, had always allowed for seeing creation as essentially one continuous whole, with the potential for overlap between the links.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Radical thinkers like <a href="/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lamarck" title="Jean-Baptiste Lamarck">Jean-Baptiste Lamarck</a> saw a progression of life forms from the simplest creatures striving towards complexity and perfection, a schema accepted by zoologists like <a href="/wiki/Henri_de_Blainville" class="mw-redirect" title="Henri de Blainville">Henri de Blainville</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The very idea of an ordering of organisms, even if supposedly fixed, laid the basis for the idea of <a href="/wiki/Transmutation_of_species" title="Transmutation of species">transmutation of species</a>, whether progressive goal-directed <a href="/wiki/Orthogenesis" title="Orthogenesis">orthogenesis</a> or <a href="/wiki/Charles_Darwin" title="Charles Darwin">Charles Darwin</a>'s undirected theory of <a href="/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">evolution</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Snyder_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Snyder-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy1960325–326_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELovejoy1960325–326-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The chain of being continued to be part of <a href="/wiki/Metaphysics" title="Metaphysics">metaphysics</a> in 19th-century education, and the concept was well known. The geologist <a href="/wiki/Charles_Lyell" title="Charles Lyell">Charles Lyell</a> used it as a metaphor in his 1851 <i>Elements of Geology</i> description of the <a href="/wiki/Geologic_time_scale" title="Geologic time scale">geological column</a>, where he used the term "<a href="/wiki/Transitional_fossil#Missing_links" title="Transitional fossil">missing links</a>" about missing parts of the continuum. The term "missing link" later came to signify <a href="/wiki/Transitional_fossil" title="Transitional fossil">transitional fossils</a>, particularly those bridging the gulf between man and beasts.<sup id="cite_ref-hm_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-hm-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The idea of the great chain, as well as the derived "missing link", was abandoned in early 20th-century science,<sup id="cite_ref-Prothero2008_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Prothero2008-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as the notion of <a href="/wiki/Ontogeny_recapitulates_phylogeny" class="mw-redirect" title="Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny">modern animals representing ancestors of other modern animals</a> was abandoned in biology.<sup id="cite_ref-Ehrlich1963_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ehrlich1963-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The idea of a certain sequence from "lower" to "higher" however lingers on, as does the idea of <a href="/wiki/Orthogenesis" title="Orthogenesis">progress in biology</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Political_implications">Political implications</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Political implications"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Allenby and Garreau propose that the Catholic Church's narrative of the great chain of being kept the peace in Europe for centuries. The very concept of rebellion simply lay outside the reality within which most people lived, for to defy the King was to defy God. King James I himself wrote, "The state of monarchy is the most supreme thing upon earth: for kings are not only God's Lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself they are called Gods."<sup id="cite_ref-Snyder_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Snyder-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Adaptations_and_similar_concepts">Adaptations and similar concepts</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Adaptations and similar concepts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The American philosopher <a href="/wiki/Ken_Wilber" title="Ken Wilber">Ken Wilber</a> described a "Great Nest of Being" which he claims to belong to a culture-independent "<a href="/wiki/Perennial_philosophy" title="Perennial philosophy">perennial philosophy</a>" traceable across 3000 years of mystical and esoteric writings. Wilber's system corresponds with other concepts of <a href="/wiki/Transpersonal_psychology" title="Transpersonal psychology">transpersonal psychology</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In his 1977 book <i><a href="/wiki/A_Guide_for_the_Perplexed" title="A Guide for the Perplexed">A Guide for the Perplexed</a></i>, the economist <a href="/wiki/E._F._Schumacher" title="E. F. Schumacher">E. F. Schumacher</a> described a hierarchy of beings, with humans at the top able <a href="/wiki/Mindfulness" title="Mindfulness">mindfully</a> to perceive the "eternal now".<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1184024115">.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}</style><div class="div-col" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Figurative_system_of_human_knowledge" title="Figurative system of human knowledge">Figurative system of human knowledge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_biology" title="History of biology">History of biology</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Ladder_of_Divine_Ascent" title="The Ladder of Divine Ascent">The Ladder of Divine Ascent</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Level_of_organization" class="mw-redirect" title="Level of organization">Level of organization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Natural_history" title="Natural history">Natural history</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plane_(esotericism)" title="Plane (esotericism)">Plane (esotericism)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sphere_of_fire" title="Sphere of fire">Sphere of fire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caste" title="Caste">Caste</a></li></ul></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 28em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy196059_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLovejoy1960">Lovejoy 1960</a>, p. 59.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFAdams1999" class="citation book cs1">Adams, Robert Merrihew (1999). <i>Leibniz: Determinist, Theist, Idealist</i>. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 113.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Leibniz%3A+Determinist%2C+Theist%2C+Idealist&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=113&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=1999&rft.aulast=Adams&rft.aufirst=Robert+Merrihew&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Tillyard_Web-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Tillyard_Web_3-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWheeler" class="citation web cs1">Wheeler, L. Kip. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/Tillyard01.html">"The Chain of Being: Tillyard in a Nutshell"</a>. Carson-Newman University. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20031216234914/https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/Tillyard01.html">Archived</a> from the original on 16 December 2003<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">16 November</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Chain+of+Being%3A+Tillyard+in+a+Nutshell&rft.pub=Carson-Newman+University&rft.aulast=Wheeler&rft.aufirst=L.+Kip&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.cn.edu%2Fkwheeler%2FTillyard01.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Chain-of-Being">"Great Chain of Being | Definition, Origin & Facts"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Britannica" class="mw-redirect" title="Britannica">Britannica</a></i>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150624160032/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Chain-of-Being">Archived</a> from the original on June 24, 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">April 1,</span> 2021</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Britannica&rft.atitle=Great+Chain+of+Being+%7C+Definition%2C+Origin+%26+Facts&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftopic%2FGreat-Chain-of-Being&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"This idea of a great chain of being can be traced to Plato's division of the world into the Forms, which are full beings, and sensible things, which are imitations of the Forms and are both being and not being. Aristotle's teleology recognized a perfect being, and he also arranges all animals by a single natural scale according to the degree of perfection of their souls. The idea of the great chain of being was fully developed in Neoplatonism and in the Middle Ages.", Blackwell Dictionary of Western Philosophy, p. 289 (2004)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Edward P. Mahoney, "Lovejoy and the Hierarchy of Being", <i>Journal of the History of Ideas</i> Vol. 48, No 2, pp. 211-230.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLovejoy1936" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Lovejoy" class="mw-redirect" title="Arthur Lovejoy">Lovejoy, Arthur O.</a> (1936). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/greatchainofbein0000love_b9m4/page/60/mode/2up"><i>The Great Chain of Being: A Study of the History of an Idea</i></a>. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 60. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-36153-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-674-36153-9"><bdi>978-0-674-36153-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Great+Chain+of+Being%3A+A+Study+of+the+History+of+an+Idea&rft.place=Cambridge%2C+MA&rft.pages=60&rft.pub=Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=1936&rft.isbn=978-0-674-36153-9&rft.aulast=Lovejoy&rft.aufirst=Arthur+O.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fgreatchainofbein0000love_b9m4%2Fpage%2F60%2Fmode%2F2up&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLovejoy1936" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Lovejoy" class="mw-redirect" title="Arthur Lovejoy">Lovejoy, Arthur O.</a> (1936). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/greatchainofbein0000love_b9m4/page/60/mode/2up"><i>The Great Chain of Being: A Study of the History of an Idea</i></a>. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 80. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-36153-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-674-36153-9"><bdi>978-0-674-36153-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Great+Chain+of+Being%3A+A+Study+of+the+History+of+an+Idea&rft.place=Cambridge%2C+MA&rft.pages=80&rft.pub=Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=1936&rft.isbn=978-0-674-36153-9&rft.aulast=Lovejoy&rft.aufirst=Arthur+O.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fgreatchainofbein0000love_b9m4%2Fpage%2F60%2Fmode%2F2up&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194326-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194326_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTillyard1943">Tillyard 1943</a>, p. 26.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194325–26-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194325–26_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTillyard1943">Tillyard 1943</a>, pp. 25–26.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETillyard194359-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETillyard194359_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTillyard1943">Tillyard 1943</a>, p. 59.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Colossians-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Colossians_12-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Colossians_12-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Colossians_12-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Colossians_12-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Colossians" title="Epistle to the Colossians">Epistle to the Colossians</a> 1:15-20</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ephesians-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Ephesians_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Ephesians_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Ephesians_13-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Ephesians_13-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Ephesians" title="Epistle to the Ephesians">Epistle to the Ephesians</a> 1:21</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Price_2021-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Price_2021_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPrice2021" class="citation web cs1">Price, Kitty (26 September 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/sermons-lectures-and-talks/archive/ppg4stmyr92zw9gzf4rcbe65srttnw">"The Hierarchy of Angels"</a>. Portsmouth Cathedral. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231208094210/https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/sermons-lectures-and-talks/archive/ppg4stmyr92zw9gzf4rcbe65srttnw">Archived</a> from the original on 8 December 2023<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">8 December</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Hierarchy+of+Angels&rft.pub=Portsmouth+Cathedral&rft.date=2021-09-26&rft.aulast=Price&rft.aufirst=Kitty&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk%2Fsermons-lectures-and-talks%2Farchive%2Fppg4stmyr92zw9gzf4rcbe65srttnw&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRuse1996" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Ruse" title="Michael Ruse">Ruse, Michael</a> (1996). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/monadtomanconcep0000ruse"><i>Monad to man: the Concept of Progress in Evolutionary Biology</i></a></span>. Harvard University Press. pp. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/monadtomanconcep0000ruse/page/21">21</a>–23. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-03248-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-674-03248-4"><bdi>978-0-674-03248-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Monad+to+man%3A+the+Concept+of+Progress+in+Evolutionary+Biology&rft.pages=21-23&rft.pub=Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=978-0-674-03248-4&rft.aulast=Ruse&rft.aufirst=Michael&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fmonadtomanconcep0000ruse&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELeroi2014111–119-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELeroi2014111–119_16-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLeroi2014">Leroi 2014</a>, pp. 111–119.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Linn1758-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Linn1758_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLinnaeus1758" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus" title="Carl Linnaeus">Linnaeus, Carl</a> (1758). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/542"><i>Systema naturae</i></a> (in Latin) (<a href="/wiki/10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae" title="10th edition of Systema Naturae">10th edition</a> ed.). Stockholm: Laurentius Salvius. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081010032456/http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/542">Archived</a> from the original on 2008-10-10<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-01-13</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Systema+naturae&rft.place=Stockholm&rft.edition=10th+edition&rft.pub=Laurentius+Salvius&rft.date=1758&rft.aulast=Linnaeus&rft.aufirst=Carl&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.biodiversitylibrary.org%2Fbibliography%2F542&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFO'GormanDonald2005" class="citation book cs1">O'Gorman, Frank; Donald, Diana (2005). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=gSaBDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA63"><i>Ordering the World in the Eighteenth Century</i></a>. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 63–82. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-230-51888-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-230-51888-9"><bdi>978-0-230-51888-9</bdi></a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241002224412/https://books.google.com/books?id=gSaBDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA63#v=onepage&q&f=false">Archived</a> from the original on 2024-10-02<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-05-09</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Ordering+the+World+in+the+Eighteenth+Century&rft.pages=63-82&rft.pub=Palgrave+Macmillan&rft.date=2005&rft.isbn=978-0-230-51888-9&rft.aulast=O%27Gorman&rft.aufirst=Frank&rft.au=Donald%2C+Diana&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DgSaBDAAAQBAJ%26pg%3DPA63&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAppel1980" class="citation journal cs1">Appel, T.A. (1980). "Henri De Blainville and the Animal Series: A Nineteenth-Century Chain of Being". <i>Journal of the History of Biology</i>. <b>13</b> (2): 291–319. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF00125745">10.1007/BF00125745</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4330767">4330767</a>. <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83708471">83708471</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+the+History+of+Biology&rft.atitle=Henri+De+Blainville+and+the+Animal+Series%3A+A+Nineteenth-Century+Chain+of+Being&rft.volume=13&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=291-319&rft.date=1980&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A83708471%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F4330767%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1007%2FBF00125745&rft.aulast=Appel&rft.aufirst=T.A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Snyder-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Snyder_20-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Snyder_20-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSnyder,_S." class="citation web cs1">Snyder, S. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728101006/http://faculty.grandview.edu/ssnyder/121/121%20great%20chain.htm">"The Great Chain of Being"</a>. <i>Grandview.edu</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://faculty.grandview.edu/ssnyder/121/121%20great%20chain.htm">the original</a> on 2017-07-28<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2017-01-05</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Grandview.edu&rft.atitle=The+Great+Chain+of+Being&rft.au=Snyder%2C+S.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.grandview.edu%2Fssnyder%2F121%2F121%2520great%2520chain.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELovejoy1960325–326-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELovejoy1960325–326_21-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLovejoy1960">Lovejoy 1960</a>, pp. 325–326.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-hm-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-hm_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120402093028/http://www.hoxfulmonsters.com/2009/06/why-the-term-missing-links-is-inappropriate/">"Why the term "missing links" is inappropriate"</a>. Hoxful Monsters. 10 June 2009. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hoxfulmonsters.com/2009/06/why-the-term-missing-links-is-inappropriate/">the original</a> on 2 April 2012<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 September</span> 2011</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+the+term+%22missing+links%22+is+inappropriate&rft.pub=Hoxful+Monsters&rft.date=2009-06-10&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoxfulmonsters.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwhy-the-term-missing-links-is-inappropriate%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Prothero2008-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Prothero2008_23-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFProthero2008" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/Donald_Prothero" title="Donald Prothero">Prothero, Donald R.</a> (1 March 2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726451.700-evolution-what-missing-link.html?full=true">"Evolution: What missing link?"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/New_Scientist" title="New Scientist">New Scientist</a></i>. <b>197</b> (2645): 35–41. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fs0262-4079%2808%2960548-5">10.1016/s0262-4079(08)60548-5</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200523045311/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726451-700-evolution-what-missing-link/?ignored=irrelevant">Archived</a> from the original on 23 May 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">4 August</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=New+Scientist&rft.atitle=Evolution%3A+What+missing+link%3F&rft.volume=197&rft.issue=2645&rft.pages=35-41&rft.date=2008-03-01&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1016%2Fs0262-4079%2808%2960548-5&rft.aulast=Prothero&rft.aufirst=Donald+R.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newscientist.com%2Farticle%2Fmg19726451.700-evolution-what-missing-link.html%3Ffull%3Dtrue&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ehrlich1963-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Ehrlich1963_24-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEhrlichHolm,_R._W.1963" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Paul_R._Ehrlich" title="Paul R. Ehrlich">Ehrlich, Paul R.</a>; Holm, R. W. (1963). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/processofevoluti00ehrl"><i>The process of evolution</i></a>. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/processofevoluti00ehrl/page/66">66</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-07-019130-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-07-019130-3"><bdi>978-0-07-019130-3</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/255345">255345</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+process+of+evolution&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=66&rft.pub=McGraw-Hill&rft.date=1963&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F255345&rft.isbn=978-0-07-019130-3&rft.aulast=Ehrlich&rft.aufirst=Paul+R.&rft.au=Holm%2C+R.+W.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fprocessofevoluti00ehrl&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRuse1996" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Ruse" title="Michael Ruse">Ruse, Michael</a> (1996). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/monadtomanconcep0000ruse"><i>Monad to man: the Concept of Progress in Evolutionary Biology</i></a></span>. Harvard University Press. pp. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/monadtomanconcep0000ruse/page/432">432</a>–433, and passim. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-03248-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-674-03248-4"><bdi>978-0-674-03248-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Monad+to+man%3A+the+Concept+of+Progress+in+Evolutionary+Biology&rft.pages=432-433%2C+and+passim&rft.pub=Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=978-0-674-03248-4&rft.aulast=Ruse&rft.aufirst=Michael&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fmonadtomanconcep0000ruse&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFreeman,_Anthony2006" class="citation journal cs1">Freeman, Anthony (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120813003002/http://www.imprint.co.uk/pdf/13-3_Freeman.pdf">"A Daniel Come to Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i><a href="/wiki/Journal_of_Consciousness_Studies" title="Journal of Consciousness Studies">Journal of Consciousness Studies</a></i>. <b>13</b> (3): 95–109. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.imprint.co.uk/pdf/13-3_Freeman.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on August 13, 2012<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">July 3,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Consciousness+Studies&rft.atitle=A+Daniel+Come+to+Judgement%3F+Dennett+and+the+Revisioning+of+Transpersonal+Theory&rft.volume=13&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=95-109&rft.date=2006&rft.au=Freeman%2C+Anthony&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imprint.co.uk%2Fpdf%2F13-3_Freeman.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCostello2014" class="citation book cs1">Costello, Stephen (2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=YtcxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA100"><i>Philosophy and the Flow of Presence</i></a>. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 100–101. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4438-6454-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4438-6454-1"><bdi>978-1-4438-6454-1</bdi></a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241002224413/https://books.google.com/books?id=YtcxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false">Archived</a> from the original on 2024-10-02<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-11-18</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Philosophy+and+the+Flow+of+Presence&rft.pages=100-101&rft.pub=Cambridge+Scholars+Publishing&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-1-4438-6454-1&rft.aulast=Costello&rft.aufirst=Stephen&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DYtcxBwAAQBAJ%26pg%3DPA100&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Sources">Sources</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLeroi2014" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Armand_Marie_Leroi" title="Armand Marie Leroi">Leroi, Armand Marie</a> (2014). <i>The Lagoon: How Aristotle Invented Science</i>. Bloomsbury. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4088-3622-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4088-3622-4"><bdi>978-1-4088-3622-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Lagoon%3A+How+Aristotle+Invented+Science&rft.pub=Bloomsbury&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-1-4088-3622-4&rft.aulast=Leroi&rft.aufirst=Armand+Marie&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLovejoy1960" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Lovejoy" class="mw-redirect" title="Arthur Lovejoy">Lovejoy, Arthur O.</a> (1960) [1936]. <i>The Great Chain of Being: A Study of the History of an Idea</i>. Harper.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Great+Chain+of+Being%3A+A+Study+of+the+History+of+an+Idea&rft.pub=Harper&rft.date=1960&rft.aulast=Lovejoy&rft.aufirst=Arthur+O.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTillyard1943" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/E._M._W._Tillyard" title="E. M. W. Tillyard">Tillyard, E. M. W.</a> (1943). <i>The Elizabethan World Picture: A Study of the Idea of Order in the age of Shakespeare, Donne & Milton</i>. London: Chatto & Windus.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Elizabethan+World+Picture%3A+A+Study+of+the+Idea+of+Order+in+the+age+of+Shakespeare%2C+Donne+%26+Milton&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Chatto+%26+Windus&rft.date=1943&rft.aulast=Tillyard&rft.aufirst=E.+M.+W.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEspinoza2022" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Espinoza, Miguel (2022). <i>La Hiérarchie naturelle. Matière, vie, conscience et symbole</i> (in French). Paris: L'Harmattan. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-2-14-030999-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-2-14-030999-1"><bdi>978-2-14-030999-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=La+Hi%C3%A9rarchie+naturelle.+Mati%C3%A8re%2C+vie%2C+conscience+et+symbole&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=L%27Harmattan&rft.date=2022&rft.isbn=978-2-14-030999-1&rft.aulast=Espinoza&rft.aufirst=Miguel&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGreat+chain+of+being" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Great_chain_of_being&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=DicHist/uvaBook/tei/DicHist1.xml;chunk.id=dv1-45;toc.depth=100;toc.id=dv1-45"><i>Dictionary of the History of Ideas</i></a> – Chain of Being</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/courses/re/chain.htm">The Great Chain of Being reflected in the work of Descartes, Spinoza & Leibniz</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080828222349/http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/courses/re/chain.htm">Archived</a> 2008-08-28 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>. Peter Suber, <a href="/wiki/Earlham_College" title="Earlham College">Earlham College</a>, <a href="/wiki/Indiana" title="Indiana">Indiana</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist 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