Thesaurus: teleology

Related headwords

Definitions

1. n. The doctrine of the final causes of things
2. n. the doctrine of design, which assumes that the phenomena of organic life, particularly those of evolution, are explicable only by purposive causes, and that they in no way admit of a mechanical explanation or one based entirely on biological science; the doctrine of adaptation to purpose.
3. n. (philosophy) a doctrine explaining phenomena by their ends or purposes
4. 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 evolution, are explicable only by purposive causes, and that they in no way admit of a mechanical explanation or one based entirely on biological science; the doctrine of adaptation to purpose.
5. The doctrine of the final causes of things; specif. (Biol.),
6. n:100 n. (philosophy) a doctrine explaining phenomena by their ends or purposes