2. THE CONCEPT OF TELEOLOGY 



We begin our philosophical analysis by summarising the 

 most general results of the scientific part of these lectures 

 in a new form and terminology. This will lead us to the 

 discussion of a concept which plays a very important role 

 in the usual logic and ontology, a concept which is 

 regarded as a real category by some and as of a mere 

 regulative and heuristic character by others. 



Many of you, I suppose, will have noticed that in the 

 whole of our previous discussions, this year and last, we 

 have strictly avoided making use of a certain term, though 

 almost all our analysis related to the meaning of that term. 



" Teleology " is the concept I am thinking of ; the words 

 " teleology " and " teleological " have not been used a single 

 time ; and in spite of that we have almost always dealt 

 with phenomena which were teleological or " purposeful " in 

 the highest sense. 



TELEOLOGY IN GENERAL 



Let us begin our studies with a few analytical words 

 about teleology, without discussing at present the true 

 logical or ontological nature of this concept. 



In ordinary language and also in science, as long as science 



129 9 



