teleology

teleology
(Gk., telos, end) The study of the ends or purposes of things. The idea that there is such a thing as the end or purpose of life is prominent in the Aristotelian view of nature (and ethics), and then in the Christian tradition. The theory of evolution through natural selection allows speculation about the function for which particular things are adapted, and so permits assertions about the purpose an adaptation serves, without any commitment to the idea of a designer who put it there for a purpose, and without the unscientific belief that the future utility of a feature somehow brings about its existence by a kind of backward causation . Teleology free of these implications is sometimes called teleonomy. The teleology of a feature may have metaphysical implications: thus one might (controversially) suggest that our spatial vision is for success at coping with a spatial world, whereas colour vision may not be for success at coping with a coloured world, but adapted to the skilful tracking of surfaces through changes of light, and this would be a way of defending a primary/secondary quality distinction. See also function (<

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Teleology — (Greek: telos : end, purpose) is the philosophical study of design and purpose. A teleological school of thought is one that holds all things to be designed for or directed toward a final result, that there is an inherent purpose or final cause… …   Wikipedia

  • Teleology — • From Greek telos, end, and logos, science Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Teleology     Teleology     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Teleology — Te le*ol o*gy, n. [Gr. ?, teleos, the end or issue + logy: cf. F. t[ e]l[ e]ologie.] The doctrine of the final causes of things; specif. (Biol.), the doctrine of design, which assumes that the phenomena of organic life, particularly those of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • teleology — study of final causes, 1740, from Mod.L. teleologia, coined 1728 by German philosopher Baron Christian von Wolff (1679 1754) from Gk. teleos entire, perfect, complete, properly gen. of telos end, goal, result (see TELE (Cf. tele )), + logia (see… …   Etymology dictionary

  • teleology — [tē΄lē äl′ə jē, tel΄ēäl′ə jē] n. [ModL teleologia < Gr telos, teleos, an end (see TELO 1) + logia (see LOGY)] 1. the study of final causes 2. the fact or quality of being directed toward a definite end or of having an ultimate purpose, esp. as …   English World dictionary

  • teleology — teleological /tel ee euh loj i keuhl, tee lee /, teleologic, adj. teleologically, adv. teleologism, n. teleologist, n. /tel ee ol euh jee, tee lee /, n. Philos. 1. the doctrine that final causes exist. 2. the study …   Universalium

  • teleology — noun /ˈtɛl.iˌɒl.ə.dʒi/ a) The study of the purpose or design of natural occurrences. In short, what every student of biology knows – that within nature there is a teleology having to do with the survival of the species which underpins the… …   Wiktionary

  • Teleology — The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature. For examples, what is the true purpose of the nose? is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological… …   Medical dictionary

  • teleology — noun Etymology: New Latin teleologia, from Greek tele , telos end, purpose + logia logy more at wheel Date: 1740 1. a. the study of evidences of design in nature b. a doctrine (as in vitalism) that ends are immanent in nature c. a doctrine… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • teleology — n. [Gr. teleios, complete; logos, discourse] A theory in biology that evolution or nature is guided by a purpose …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

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