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teleology

 - 4 dictionary results

tel⋅e⋅ol⋅o⋅gy

  [tel-ee-ol-uh-jee, tee-lee-]
–noun Philosophy.
1. the doctrine that final causes exist.
2. the study of the evidences of design or purpose in nature.
3. such design or purpose.
4. the belief that purpose and design are a part of or are apparent in nature.
5. (in vitalist philosophy) the doctrine that phenomena are guided not only by mechanical forces but that they also move toward certain goals of self-realization.
Use teleology in a Sentence
Origin:
1730–40; < NL teleologia. See teleo-, -logy

Related forms:
tel⋅e⋅o⋅log⋅i⋅cal  [tel-ee-uh-loj-i-kuhl, tee-lee-] , tel⋅e⋅o⋅log⋅ic, adjective
tel⋅e⋅o⋅log⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
tel⋅e⋅ol⋅o⋅gism, noun
tel⋅e⋅ol⋅o⋅gist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To teleology
tel·e·ol·o·gy   (těl'ē-ŏl'ə-jē, tē'lē-)   
n.   pl. tel·e·ol·o·gies

  1. The study of design or purpose in natural phenomena.

  2. The use of ultimate purpose or design as a means of explaining phenomena.

  3. Belief in or the perception of purposeful development toward an end, as in nature or history.


[Greek teleios, teleos, perfect, complete (from telos, end, result; see kwel-1 in Indo-European roots) + -logy.]
tel'e·o·log'i·cal (-ə-lŏj'ĭ-kəl), tel'e·o·log'ic (-ĭk) adj., tel'e·o·log'i·cal·ly adv., tel'e·ol'o·gist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

teleology 
"study of final causes," 1740, from Mod.L. teleologia, coined 1728 by Ger. philosopher Baron Christian von Wolff (1679-1754) from Gk. teleos "entire, perfect, complete," prop. gen. of telos "end, goal, result;" see tele- + -logia.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: te·le·ol·o·gy
Pronunciation: "tel-E-'äl-&-jE, "tEl-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -gies
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 explaining phenomenaby final causes
2 : the fact or character attributed to nature or natural processes of being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose
3 : the use ofdesign or purpose as an explanation of natural phenomena
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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