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Telos

Telos (/ˈtɛ.lɒs/; Greek: τέλος, translit. télos, lit. "end, 'purpose', or 'goal'")[1] is a term used by philosopher Aristotle to refer to the final cause of a natural organ or entity, or of human art. Telos is the root of the modern term teleology, the study of purposiveness or of objects with a view to their aims, purposes, or intentions. Teleology is central in Aristotle's work on plant and animal biology, and human ethics, through his theory of the four causes. Aristotle's notion that everything has a telos also gave rise to epistemology.[2]

For other uses, see Telos (disambiguation).

In modern philosophy[edit]

The notion of purpose, or telos, has formed the foundation of cybernetics, and is now part of the modern analysis of social media platforms as intelligent social machines.[12]


Action theory also makes essential use of teleological vocabulary. From Donald Davidson's perspective, an action is just something an agent does with an intention – i.e., looking forward to some end to be achieved by the action.[13] Action is considered just a step that is necessary to fulfill human telos, as it leads to habits.[13]


According to the Marxist perspective, historical change is dictated by socio-economic structures (or "laws"), which are simultaneously preconditions and limitations of the realization of the telos of the class struggle.[14]

Conatus

Dysteleology

Metaphysics

Plato

Polytely

Teleological argument

Teleonomy

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Teleological Notions in Biology

Alexander, Victoria N. . Dactyl Foundation.

Narrative Telos: The Ordering Tendencies of Chance