Scala naturae (English spelling) scalanaturae

...These ideas are sometimes seen as merely a combination of folklore and philosophy, but on the other hand, they are also appreciated for their freedom, not being bound by the idea of ​​a creator. Aristotle proposed the idea that natural objects are arranged in the order of inorganic matter, followed by lower plants, then higher plants, insects, lower animals, higher animals, and finally humans, in other words, the idea of ​​what would later be called the "staircase of nature, scala naturae." If this is interpreted as a development over time and space, it becomes the theory of evolution, and some people would therefore include Aristotle in the ranks of evolutionists, but this is not generally accepted.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "scala naturae" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…これらの考えは，民間伝承と哲学が結びついたにすぎないともみられるが，また他方，造物主の観念に束縛されない自由性をもつ点で評価されることもある。アリストテレスは自然物に関し，無機物から下等植物，ついで順次に高等植物，植虫類，下等動物，高等動物，最上位に人間という配列がなされるということ，すなわち後世いう〈自然の階段scala naturae〉の考えをのべた。もしこれを時空的発展として解釈すれば進化論ということになり，それでアリストテレスを進化論者の列に加える意見もあるが，一般には認められていない。…

※「scala naturae」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報