final cause

In philosophy, a final cause refers to the purpose or end goal of a process. This concept is central to teleology, the study of purpose in nature. Aristotle, a key figure in Western philosophy, considered final causality essential for understanding biological organisms, arguing that their structure and function are intrinsically linked to their purpose. For example, the human eye's structure is understood by its function of sight. While influential for centuries, the idea of final causes was largely dismissed in scientific explanations during the scientific revolution in favor of mechanistic explanations. Despite this, the concept has continued to be debated, particularly in the philosophy of biology.12