Finality

Words for finality include teleology, final causality, purpose, end, goal, telos, and ultimate end. These terms describe the notion of a thing’s or event’s purpose or ultimate outcome, such as Aristotle’s concept of telos, which is “the sake of which a thing is done”. Other related concepts include determinism, where events are predetermined to a single outcome, and finalism, a belief in final causes.

Terms for finality

Teleology/Final Causality: This is the philosophical study of purpose and design, particularly in nature. It suggests that events have a purpose or are directed toward a final end.
Telos: A Greek term used by Aristotle to mean an “end,” “purpose,” or “final cause.” It refers to the reason why a thing is done or why it exists.
Finalism: A belief that final causes are the most important or only ones, often used in a religious or spiritual context.
End/Goal/Purpose: General terms for the final outcome or objective that something is striving toward.
Ultimate End: The final and most significant goal, which can be a single entity or a state of being.
Determinism: A view that all events are causally necessitated by antecedent events and conditions, meaning there is only one possible outcome.
- Causal Determinism: The belief that every event is the inevitable result of preceding events and the laws of nature.
- Predeterminism: The belief that events are fixed in advance, sometimes by fate or destiny.
Perennialism: A tradition that posits that all world religions and philosophies point to a single universal truth or origin. This concept can be interpreted as a final, unified truth behind all experience.