teleology

teleology
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 -LOGY (Cf. -logy)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 — [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 — (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… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • 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

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”