University of Isfahan Metaphysics 2476-3276 17 40 2025 09 23 Aristotle's Teleology in Biological Explanations Aristotle's Teleology in Biological Explanations 67 78 29325 10.22108/mph.2025.142676.1587 FA Hamed Mortazavi Zefreh Department of Philosophy and Logic, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 0009-0004-2705-0718 Hamidreza Mahboobi Arani Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy and Logic, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2024 09 03 The concept of "purpose" holds such significance in Aristotle's philosophy, that understanding his other teachings depends on a correct and complete grasp of it. Numerous studies have been conducted by researchers regarding this concept, and Aristotle's teleology has been examined in his works and related to his various teachings. This research specifically examines Aristotle's biology, and the most important issue it pursues is whether it is possible to eliminate "purpose" from biological explanations. Some of Aristotle's predecessors believed this was feasible, arguing that factors like "chance" and "necessity" could account for biological generations. However, Aristotle, in opposition to them, demonstrates that "purpose" cannot be removed from biological explanations, and thus, provides a teleological explanation of the emergence of living beings and their organs. This study is an effort to elucidate this teleological explanation and to show the basis on which he considers the generation of animals and their organs to be purposeful. The concept of "purpose" holds such significance in Aristotle's philosophy, that understanding his other teachings depends on a correct and complete grasp of it. Numerous studies have been conducted by researchers regarding this concept, and Aristotle's teleology has been examined in his works and related to his various teachings. This research specifically examines Aristotle's biology, and the most important issue it pursues is whether it is possible to eliminate "purpose" from biological explanations. Some of Aristotle's predecessors believed this was feasible, arguing that factors like "chance" and "necessity" could account for biological generations. However, Aristotle, in opposition to them, demonstrates that "purpose" cannot be removed from biological explanations, and thus, provides a teleological explanation of the emergence of living beings and their organs. This study is an effort to elucidate this teleological explanation and to show the basis on which he considers the generation of animals and their organs to be purposeful. https://mph.ui.ac.ir/article_29325_8b23ff9246ce9eebab70d01b83b08418.pdf