Teleology [Paperback]

Andrew Woodfield's detailed survey examines the descriptions and explanations of purpose, goal, end and function.The notions of purpose, goal, end and function are used (and abused) in descriptions of a very wide range of human, animal and machine behaviour. Andrew Woodfield provides here a unified account of such teleological descriptions and explanations, their varieties, their logical structure and their proper uses.The notions of purpose, goal, end and function are used (and abused) in descriptions of a very wide range of human, animal and machine behaviour. Andrew Woodfield provides here a unified account of such teleological descriptions and explanations, their varieties, their logical structure and their proper uses.The notions of purpose, goal, end and function are used (and abused) in descriptions of a very wide range of human, animal and machine behaviour. Andrew Woodfield provides here a unified account of such teleological descriptions and explanations, their varieties, their logical structure and their proper uses. He concentrates his argument on the concepts of 'goal-directed behaviour' and 'natural function', and combines original philosophical criticism with a meticulous, detailed survey of the main competing theories in this diffuse and difficult field.Preface; Part I. Introduction: what is teleology?; 2. The method of analysis; Part II. Goal-Directed Behaviour: 3. Braithwaite's plasticity theory; 4. Sommerhoff's theory of directive correlation; 5. Charles Taylor's conception to teleology; 6. General assessment of behaviourist theories; Part III. Functions: 7. Functions and ends; 8. Ends and functional explanations; Part IV. Goals: 9. An externalist theory of goals; 10. Internalist theories; 11. The cybernetical approach; Part V. Conclusion: 12. Unifying theory of teleological description; Select bibliography; Index.