Examples of teleology

Examples of teleological explanations in scientific discourse

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Teleology is the explanation of a phenomenon as occurring for some purpose. Teleology is a kind of pseudo-explanation when it offers a sense of explanation, but is invalid (e.g., "the sun shines each day so that plants will grow").

Read about teleology in science

Read about kinds of pseudo-explanations

Examples of teleological statements are included in a document listing a wide range of examples of science analogies, similes, metaphors and the like, drawn from diverse sources, which can be downloaded using this link: 'Creative Comparisons: Making Science Familiar through Language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts.'

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Examples:

The examples below are mostly edited or paraphrased for brevity, so please use the links to see the full original quotation.

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astronomy

(see also solar system)

• fixed stars are intended to allow us to detect the motions of the planets (Rheticus)

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cells

• cells die for a higher good ('Some Assembly Required: Decoding four billion years of life, from ancient fossils to DNA')
• primary mission of the red blood cell is to transport oxygen ('Red Blood Cell Life Span, Senescence, and Destruction')
• red blood cells are built to travel ('Red Blood Cell Life Span, Senescence, and Destruction')

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cosmology

• gravity began to do its work after the scalar field had done its work and settled down ('Companion to the Cosmos')

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Earth

• internal heat of the Earth is for the purpose of maintaining plants and animals (James Hutton)
• platinum group elements migrated to where the iron was ('Catching Stardust: Comets, asteroids and the birth of the solar system')
• terrestrial system is adapted to a certain end (James Hutton)
• volcanoes are intended to prevent the unnecessary elevation of land and fatal effects of earthquakes (James Hutton)

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ecology

• humble fungi are on a mission (Santiago Ramón y Cajal )

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enzymes

• enzyme has a job copying information ('Almost Like a Whale: The origin of species updated')

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ethology

• a neutral zone exists in order to protect raptor chicks (Jakob von Uexküll)

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evolution

• species evolve to adapt ('Astrobiology: The Search for Life Elsewhere in the Universe')

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genetics

• each atom in a gene has its predetermined place (George Gamow)
• epigenetic inheritance is not supposed to happen (Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, University of Cambridge)
• genes are well-planned structures (George Gamow)
• genes exist to make more copies of themselves ('Some Assembly Required: Decoding four billion years of life, from ancient fossils to DNA')
• virus mutations are to escape antibodies (Prof. Ravindra Gupta, University of Cambridge)

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light

• photons select the path which will take them most quickly to their goal (Max Planck)

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nature (in general)

• nature does nothing without purpose (Galen)

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physiology

• human brains are designed to recognise opportunity and anticipate reward (Chemistry World)
• endorphins are designed to relieve pain (Chemistry World)
• eyes are designed for using colour ('Light Years: The extraordinary story of mankind' fascination with light')

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reproduction

• Nature planned for seed burs to become attached to passing animals ('Serendipity: Accidental discoveries in science')

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solar system

• planets are intended to continue their revolutions (James Hutton)
• earth had to be set at a distance from the sun so that our water would not freeze or immediately go off in a vapour (Isaac Newton)

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stars

• the purposes of stars are unknown (Sir John F. W. Herschel)

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