In Western philosophy, the term and concept of teleology originated in the writings of Plato and Aristotle. Aristotle's ' four causes ' gives a special place to the telos or "final cause" of each …

Teleology has the basic meaning of "the study of ends or purposes." A teleologist attempts to understand the purpose of something by looking at its results.

Dec 1, 2025 · Accordingly, teleological language in the biological sciences is not to be taken literally; it is essentially a set of useful metaphors.

A teleological theory is one that says, when there is a choice between alternative acts, that the right one to choose is the best.

The philosophical interpretation of natural phenomena as exhibiting purpose or design. 2. The use of ultimate purpose or design as a means of explaining phenomena. 3. Belief in or the …

Teleological arguments (or arguments from design) by contrast begin with a much more specialized catalogue of properties and end with a conclusion concerning the existence of a …

TELEOLOGICAL definition: of or relating to teleology, the philosophical doctrine that final causes, design, and purpose exist in nature. See examples of teleological used in a sentence.

Definition of teleological adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Teleology is a philosophical concept that posits that everything has an inherent purpose or goal. This idea, originating with ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, suggests that …

Teleological means starting from the end and reasoning back, explaining things based on their end purpose. A teleological statement you've probably heard before is "everything happens for …