Teleologism is the idea that the things and processes of nature have a plan, purpose, guiding principle, or end, and the philosophical study of that plan. Philosophical naturalism asserts that there are no such principles, while teleology claims.

Teleology stands in contrast to philosophical naturalism, and both ask questions separate from the questions of science. Philosophical naturalism and teleology try to figure out if there is or isn’t an organizing principle behind natural laws and phenomena. Science investigates how things work and why they work the way they do.