teleológica

Teleológica, the feminine form of teleológico in Portuguese and Spanish, refers to teleology—explanations or interpretations based on purpose or final end. The term derives from the Greek telos, end or goal, and -logia, study or doctrine.

Historically, teleology was central to Aristotle, who held that natural processes and organized forms are directed toward their ends. In scholastic philosophy and Christian theology, final causes were used to account for order and design in nature and ethics.

In modern science and philosophy, teleological explanations are often seen as controversial or minimized. Darwin's theory of natural selection provided a non-teleological account of biological complexity, while philosophers distinguish between teleology proper (final causes) and teleonomy, the appearance of goal-directedness in living systems without implying conscious purpose.

In contemporary discourse, teleology informs debates on the design argument in theology, the interpretation of biological function, and ethical theories that consider purposes or consequences. The term teleológica is thus used in Portuguese- and Spanish-language texts to refer to these ideas, noting that many authors prefer non-teleological explanations unless agency or intention is explicitly invoked.