The concepts of "goal" and "whole" are etymologically related, which can be traced in terms of "teleology" and "
teleonomy".
DIFFERENTIATING ANIMATE FROM INANIMATE MATTER: COMPLEXITY AND
TELEONOMYThis solution to the problem of converting nucleic acid chemistry into protein chemistry may be the fundamental root of
teleonomy and inherent teleology in living organisms.
Biologists indeed discuss function and
teleonomy, but not the purpose of organisms, much less of human life.
The only concession which they make to its disreputable past is to rename it '
teleonomy'." (9)
Once teleology is understood as
teleonomy (as opposed to Platonic or cosmic teleology), Mayr has no objections to it.
"The two best examples of
teleonomy are perhaps biological evolution and human personality development," notes Mahoney (1991), because "there is an apparent directionality to both (at least in historical hindsight), yet neither can be said to be seeking a specific final form or destination" (p.
Take another instance, what are the
teleonomy, causation and random?
It has been suggested that Aristotle's concept of orderedness and finality--a basic tenet and evidence--is best expressed by the recent term "
teleonomy"; here he is close to modern biology, which circumscribes the import of orderedness.