In biology the word autogenesis has been used to describe two similar concepts:

• Abiogenesis - the origin of life, as used by Aristotle
• Orthogenesis - a discredited evolutionary idea that hypothesised a directed 'teleological' form of evolution.

Autogenesis may also have been used to mean a combination of the two, a purposeful, directed or 'special creation' abiogenesis event, the product of which undergoes orthogenesis.