teleology
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English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek τέλος (télos, “purpose”), genitive τέλεος (téleos), and λόγος (lógos, “word, speech, discourse”).
Pronunciation
Noun
teleology (countable and uncountable, plural teleologies)
- (philosophy) The study of the purpose or design of natural occurrences.
- (by extension) An instance of such a design or purpose, usually in natural phenomena.
- 2011, Paul A. Rahe, Truths You Cannot Utter:
- 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 distinction between the two sexes and produces between them a natural affinity for one another – no surgeon who knows what is good for him may now say.
- The use of a purpose or design rather than the laws of nature to explain an occurrence.
Related terms
Translations
study of the purpose of occurrences
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use of purpose to explain occurrence
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