Relating to or denying teleology, the idea that things develop toward a predetermined purpose or end goal.
From 'a-' (without/not) + 'teleological' (from Greek 'telos' meaning end/purpose + 'logos' meaning reason/word). The prefix 'a-' negates the concept, used extensively in philosophy and science to reject purposeful design.
Darwin's theory of evolution is ateleological—it shows that life doesn't progress toward some perfect goal but instead adapts randomly to survive; this was revolutionary because it challenged the idea that nature had a master plan.
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