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To: NicknamedBob
"The most celebrated account of teleology was that given by Aristotle when he declared that a full explanation of anything must consider not only the material, the formal, and the efficient causes, but also the final cause—the purpose for which the thing exists or was produced."

Thanks, I'll take this as the definition we are dealing with. Sorry for my confusion.

Now I think I can answer my own question.
The theory of evolution assumes that genetic mutations are more-or-less random, without any goal, in mind. In other words, it's pure chance which causes genetic changes, and only survival which determines what changes are kept or die out.

In other words, supposedly evolution denies teleology.

But if you look at the natural history of life on earth, it's perfectly obvious that, over time, life has become ever more complex and, shall we say, sophisticated?

Even episodes of mass extinctions have always raised up survivors in every sense more advanced than those which were destroyed.

So, while SCIENCE says these evolutionary changes were more-or-less random, PHILOSOPHICALLY and theologically we can easily say that life is constantly striving to improve itself.

So, what is life's teleological end point? Who knows, certainly not I. But if the Bible's omega proves as metaphorical as its alpha, then that "point" could well be beyond the imaginations of even our most prescient science-fiction writers. For what it's worth...

1,335 posted on 01/10/2009 8:32:49 AM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK
"So, while SCIENCE says these evolutionary changes were more-or-less random, PHILOSOPHICALLY and theologically we can easily say that life is constantly striving to improve itself."

Or, I'll say it the way I prefer to think of it: God is constantly striving (sometimes against seemingly hopeless odds) to improve life on earth!

And if you ask, "why didn't God just create EVERYTHING perfect to begin with?" then, my child, we are in for a long, long discussion having NOTHING to do with science!

1,336 posted on 01/10/2009 8:46:54 AM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK; Ethan Clive Osgoode; SisterK
"So, what is life's teleological end point? Who knows, certainly not I. But if the Bible's omega proves as metaphorical as its alpha, then that "point" could well be beyond the imaginations of even our most prescient science-fiction writers. For what it's worth..."

The religious, generally, say that our fate is to merge with God, (if we are worthy).

Ray Kurzweil says that our fate is to merge with machines. (Been there, done that, didn't get the dinner.)

Life is a play that we attend,
but do not understand,
that the entertainment flows the other way,

We who are observing,
are being watched in turn,
and the laughs will be upon us one fine day.

1,338 posted on 01/10/2009 8:56:40 AM PST by NicknamedBob (If you translate Pi into base 43 notation, it will contain this statement.)
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