Reasoning about the physical world is a central human cognitive activity. One aspect of such reasoning is the inference of function from the structure of the artifacts one encounters. In this article we present the Topological iNference of Teleology (TNT) theory, an efficient means of inferring function from structure. TNT comprises a representation language for structure and function that enab...

This article explores the temporal dimension of Common European Asylum System (CEAS) by exposing its teleological character and effects latter on governance asylum in Union. Drawing EU policy documents, shows how CEAS has been presented since inception as a teleology, that is, process is inexorably unfolding towards specific outcome to be reached an indefinite time future. The consists establis...

This article deals with Jacques Derrida’s critique of the phenomenological concepts spirituality and spirit, particularly in context his 1987 book Of Spirit. As shows, interpretation these was based on a seemingly minor, yet extremely important misreading Edmund Husserl’s key passages relationship between Europe. Unlike Derrida claims, Husserl did not equate Europe universal teleology humankind...

According to the theory of 'promiscuous teleology', humans are naturally biased to (mistakenly) construe natural kinds as if they (like artifacts) were intentionally designed 'for a purpose'. However, this theory introduces two paradoxes. First, if infants readily distinguish natural kinds from artifacts, as evidence suggests, why do school-aged children erroneously conflate this distinction? S...

Despite his pointing this out, Nabuco’s own account of the abolition of slavery in Brazil constitutes the mainstream way of retelling the history of this movement. Most scholarship takes his memories as a departure point. As Nabuco observes, however, to rely on individual memories is a risky choice. Activists such as himself usually retell their stories, attributing teleology, coherence, and me...

Teleo-functional explanations account for objects in terms of purpose, helping us understand objects such as pencils (for writing) and body parts such as ears (for hearing). Western-educated adults restrict teleo-functional attributions to artifact, biological, and behavioral phenomena, considering such explanations less appropriate for nonliving natural entities. In contrast, children extend e...

Homeostasis is conventionally thought of merely as a synchronic (same time) servo-mechanism that maintains the status quo for organismal physiology. However, when seen from the perspective of developmental physiology, homeostasis is a robust, dynamic, intergenerational, diachronic (across-time) mechanism for the maintenance, perpetuation and modification of physiologic structure and function. T...

Constructed system with autonomy can be considered as possessing intelligence, if intelligence is understood as a metaphor. It is useful to be aware of that, when defining desirable features for constructed systems, in areas such as reflecting the world (ontology), definition and pursuit of goals (teleology), or general human-like behavior (anthropomorphism). Modeling and simulating integrated ...

Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, popular opinions regarding evolution are starkly divided. In the USA, for example, nearly one in three adults espouse a literal and recent divine creation account of human origins. Plausibly, resistance to scientific conclusions regarding the origins of species-like much resistance to other scientific conclusions (Bloom & Weisberg, 2007)-gains support ...