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Why did Charles Darwin describe natural selection as a metaphor?

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Marble bust of Aristotle with a beard and draped robe, showing detailed facial features and wavy hair, set against a dark background. — Philosophy of biology Detail of a Roman copy (2nd century bce) of a Greek alabaster portrait bust of Aristotle, c. 325 bce; in the collection of the Roman National Museum.

Charles Darwin described "natural selection" as a metaphor to address criticisms regarding the term's implication of conscious choice or divine intervention in evolutionary processes.1

In the 19th century, critics argued that because evolutionary change occurs naturally, the word "selection" was inappropriate as it suggested an intelligent being was making decisions. Darwin responded that "natural selection" was simply a metaphor, functioning similarly to metaphors used in other scientific disciplines.1

From a philosophical perspective, this metaphor serves a valuable heuristic role: it directs attention toward features with adaptive value and encourages researchers to investigate the functions of those features. While some critics have argued that the metaphor is misleading because it may imply purpose where none exists, proponents maintain that assuming function and purpose is a useful investigative strategy for discovering complex or subtle adaptive traits. Darwin viewed the term as a way to explain the organization of living beings through natural processes rather than through the design of a creator, effectively extending the concept of nature as a system governed by laws.12