telos
Final cause, philosophically
Telos is an ultimate aim or purpose—the end toward which something naturally moves or is directed.
In philosophy, particularly Aristotle's, everything has a telos: an acorn's telos is to become an oak, a knife's telos is to cut well.
The word appears in discussions of purpose, design, and meaning: What is the telos of education?
Related terms include teleology (the study of purposes) and teleological (directed toward an end).
Making something fully real
- completionAct of finishing
- culminationHighest or final point
- realizationGrasping what's true
- consummationFinal completion or achievement
fruition · perfection · attainment · accomplishment · self-realization · flourishing · maturation · ripening
Purpose or goal
- targetObject of pursuit
- aimPurpose or direction
- endFinal portion or cessation
- ambitionDesire for achievement
aspiration · destination · pursuit · endeavor · achievement · quest · intention · intent
Existing as something
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- existenceState of being real
- substancePhysical material with mass
- actualityState of existing fact
potentiality · nous · logos · monad · atman · unmoved mover · prime mover · first principle
What something signifies
- functionPurpose or duty
- rationaleStated basis for action
- reasonBasis or justification
- causeWhat produces an effect
motivation · calling · vocation · destiny · duty · role · significance · value
Sharp glacial ridge
- excellenceOutstanding quality or merit
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- justiceFair treatment under law
- wisdomGood judgment from experience
prudence · temperance · courage · good life · human flourishing · moral perfection · character
actualization
Making something fully real
- completionAct of finishing
- culminationHighest or final point
- realizationGrasping what's true
consummation · fruition · perfection · attainment · accomplishment · self-realization · flourishing · maturation · ripening · final form
objective
Purpose or goal
ambition · aspiration · destination · pursuit · endeavor · achievement · quest · intention · intent · direction
being
Existing as something
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- existenceState of being real
- substancePhysical material with mass
actuality · potentiality · nous · logos · monad · atman · unmoved mover · prime mover · first principle · natura naturans
meaning
What something signifies
cause · motivation · calling · vocation · destiny · duty · role · significance · value · raison d'être
arete
Sharp glacial ridge
- excellenceOutstanding quality or merit
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- justiceFair treatment under law
wisdom · prudence · temperance · courage · good life · human flourishing · moral perfection · character
apex
Uppermost point or culmination
acme · peak · quintessence · epitome · highest good · finality · terminus · limit · boundary
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
- purposeaim, goal, purpose, objective, mission
- Greek conceptslogos, ethos, pathos, hubris, arete
- Greek philosophyAristotle, Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, Academy
- metaphysicsessence, being, reality, existence, substance theory
- AristotleLyceum, Metaphysics, logic, ethics, rhetoric
telosorigin
Starting point or source
beginning · genesis · source · starting point · inception
telospurposelessness
State of lacking intention
meaninglessness · aimlessness · randomness · pointlessness · absurdity