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Purpose is a word meaning an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal; a result that is desired; an intention. Purpose's basic concept is an individual's voluntary behavior activity awareness. Defining purpose is often relatively vague and almost meaningless; however, the concept is valuable and therefore retained.[1] Purpose can be operational defined as entity class property which may, but need not have consciousness.[2]

Etymology[edit]

First attested in c.1290, from earl Old French porpos "aim, intention", purpose is related to from porposer "to put forth," from Vulgar Latin corruption of por- "forth" (Latin pro- "forth") and Old French poser "to put, place".[3] Purpose is related to the term pose used from 1374 as to "put in a certain position," or "suggest, propose, suppose, assume," a term use in Late Latin debating (c.300–c.700) from pausare "to halt, rest, pause".[4]

Scientific distinctions[edit]

According to Howard Warren, scientific inquiry has at least three distinct lines of the study of purpose:[5]

  1. The psychological analysis – what are the distinctive consciousness state features of purpose?
  2. The biological history and meaning – how did purposive behavior originate and develop in organisms?
  3. The universal role – is there a teleological sequence in the inorganic world?

Purpose in life[edit]

Purpose in life and, meaning in life, constructs originated in Victor Frankl's logotherapy writings on existential vacuum and will to meaning, and others who have theorized about and defined positive psychological functioning. Frankl observed that when person's search for meaning is blocked, it may be psychologically damaging. Positive life purpose and meaning was associated with strong religious beliefs, membership in groups, dedication to a cause, life values, and clear goals. Adult development and maturity theories include the purpose in life concept. Maturity emphasizes a clear comprehension of life's purpose, directedness, and intentionality which, contributes to the feeling that life is meaningful. Crumbaugh and Maholick's Purpose in Life (PIL) test operationalized Frankl's ideas and measures an individual's meaning and purpose in life. The PIL psychometric test has good reliability and validity.[6] With the test, investigators found that meaning in life mediated the relationships between: religiosity and well-being;[7] uncontrollable stress and substance use; depression and self-derogation.[8][9] Crumbaugh found that the PIL complements the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test. [10]

Evolutionary purpose[edit]

Amundson defined evolutionary purpose by the naturally selected biological trait. Evolutionary biology philosophers favor the function etiological concept according to selected trait function, which is the function's selected effect in the causal role. Biology philosophers observe no purpose only selected trait functions.[11]

Behavior classifications[edit]

In Arturo Rosenblueth's cybernetic classification, purpose is a behavior subclass. Behavior is active or passive and active behavior is purposeful or random. Active purposeful behavior is then either feedback teleological on non-teleological. Negative feedback is important to guide the positive goal route. Purposeful teleological feedback helps guide the predictive behavior orders. Teleology is feedback controlled purpose.[12][13]

Rosenbluth's classification system was criticized and the need for an external observability to the purposeful behavior was established to validate the behavior and goal-attainment. The purpose of observing and observed systems is respectively distinguished by the system's subjective autonomy and objective control.[14]

Victoria Alexandar's view is that purpose is influenced by the mission and how the goals are represented because, as Charles Sanders Peirce indicates purpose is a particularly specified form of a final cause which an observer realizes.[15][16]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Rosenblueth, Arturo; Wiener, Norbert; Bigelow, Julian (Jan. 1943). "Behavior, Purpose and Teleology". Philosphy of Science. 10 (1): 19. JSTOR 184878. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Laszlo, Ervin (9/1973). "The Purpose of Mankind". Journal of Religion & Science. 8 (3–4): 310–324. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.1973.tb00235.x. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ purpose, Online Etymological Dictionary
  4. ^ pose, Online Etymological Dictionary
  5. ^ Warren, Howard C. (1916). "A Study of Purpose". The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods. 13 (1). Journal of Philosophy, Inc.: 5–26. doi:10.2307/2012418. JSTOR 2012418.
  6. ^ Adler, Nancy (November 1997). "Purpose in Life". Psychosocial workgroup. MacArthur. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
  7. ^ Dufton, Brian (Spr 1986). "The association between religiosity and the Purpose-in-Life test: Does it reflect purpose or satisfaction?". Journal of Psychology and Theology. 14 (1). American Psychological Association: 42–48. doi:10.1177/009164718601400105. Retrieved 2011-11-03. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Harlow, Lisa L. (Sep 1987). "Purpose in Life Test assessment using latent variable methods". British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 26 (3). American Psychological Association: 235–236. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8260.1987.tb01355.x. PMID 3664045. Retrieved 2011-11-03. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Adler, Nancy (November 1997). "Purpose in Life". Psychosocial workgroup. MacArthur. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
  10. ^ Crumbaugh, James C. (July 1977). "The seeking of noetic goals test (SONG): A complementary scale to the purpose in life test (PIL)". Journal of Clinical Psychology. 33 (3). Wiley: 900–907. doi:10.1002/1097-4679(197707)33:3<900::AID-JCLP2270330362>3.0.CO;2-8. PMID 893732.
  11. ^ Amundson, Ron (1994). "Function Without Purpose: The Uses of Causal Role Function in Evolutionarily Biology". Biology and Philosophy. 9 (4). Netherlands: SpringerLink, Klawer Academic: 443–469. doi:10.1007/BF00850375. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Rosenblueth, Arturo; Wiener, Norbert; Bigelow, Julian (Jan.,1943). "Behavior, Purpose and Teleology". Philosphy of Science. 10 (1): 21. JSTOR 184878. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Conway, Patrick (1974). Development of volitional competence. MSS Information Corp. p. 60. ISBN 0842204245.
  14. ^ George, Frank Honywill (1943). Purposive behavior and teleological explanations. Gordon and Breach. pp. xII. ISBN 2881241107. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Alexander, Victoria N. (2009). "The Poetics of Purpose". Biosemiotics. 2. Springer Science + Business Media B.V.: 77–100. doi:10.1007/s12304-008-9031-3.
  16. ^ Short, T. L. (1981). Peirce’s concept of final causation. Transaction of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 17, 369–82.