In this paper we try to show how four great thinkers (Aristotle, Descartes, Lamarck, and Darwin) studied life from the horizon of the technique of their time. Aristotle understands life from the Greek technique that creates objects that mimic nature; Descartes from the "automata" as the clock; Lamarck, from the cultural heritage; and finally, Darwin, from the artificial selection of man. This article presents some texts by these authors to support these ideas and raises some questions at the end of the conclusion.