22C:096
Computation, Information, and Description

Definition of "teleology"

From The Random House College Dictionary

teleology

1. the doctrine that final causes exist. 2. the study of the evidences of design or purpose in nature. 3. such design or purpose. 4. the belief that purpose and design are a part of or are apparent in nature. 5. (in vitalist philosophy) the doctrine that phenomena are guided not only by mechanical forces but that they also move toward certain goals of self-realization.

The dictionary emphasizes a doctrine of teleology, which asserts that natural processes are determined or at least influenced by some intention on the part of nature. I am using "teleology" in a much weaker sense, as a category of concept rather than a doctrine. When I refer to "teleological" qualities, I mean qualities defined from the intended uses of things, rather than from their inherent essence. I don't care to argue whether those intentions may come from grander beings than humans, nor whether they affect behavior. I will argue that the concepts of computation, description, and information are mainly teleological in the sense above, and that we can understand and even predict many aspects of their behavior from their teleological qualities. But, this doesn't require that the teleological qualities cause this behavior; it's perfectly sensible to suppose that the teleological qualities and the behaviors are both the result of some common underlying causes. Would you say that I am proposing a sort of purely teleological value for the teleological point of view?