Friday, October 14, 2016

Telos or not to Telos



TELOS

The dictionaries tell us that “telos” is “The Ultimate Purpose”.
That, to which everybody and everything is destined.
That, which is inherently our, and everything's Destiny.

Mrs. Rosenblum is in the park, walking with her two grand children.
By an acquaintance she is asked the ages of the children and her answer is right to the “telosian point”:
The doctor is 5 and the lawyer is not quite 7.”

Although Mrs. Rosenblum is a most determined lady, her pre-determination of the professions of her grand children, is funny at best, but it is not “telos”.
Mrs. Rosenblum does not make “telos” for her grand kids.
The “telos” or “ultimate destiny” or “the End Goal” is inherent in everything, and cannot be created or altered by anybody or anything. ( see: Aristotle ) not even by Mrs. Rosenblum.

No one knows the telos of anybody. Not even they themselves know what their ultimate destiny is.

The Aristotelian definition of existence, falls into four states:
  1. Inanimate ( rocks etc )
  2. Vegetative ( plant life )
  3. Animalistic ( all manner of Animal, except human )
  4. Human

Of the above only the fifth state of existence is capable of “contemplating telos”, but incapable of recognizing, nor altering their ultimate destiny.

Mrs Rosenblum is making a valiant effort, but is doomed, according to Aristotle, to failure.
Unless:
Unless her hopes happen to be the same as the two kids' telos.

Bertstravels
is the exception:

He knows his telos.

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