Alan Isaac wrote:  
>Of course they differ.  Each differs from every other.  But   
>in the context of the current conversation they have   
>something crucial in common: however much we may believe   
>that "deep down" there is a purely naturalistic description   
>of the "seeking" taking place,  in *each* case we still find   
>it useful (for understanding as well as for prediction) to   
>charactrize them teleologically (i.e., as seeking).  Indeed,   
>for these purposes, most of us will have no more useful   
>characterization.   
  
  
The most widely sited author on teleological explanation  
after Aristotle is Larry Wright.  I might recommend his  
_Teleological Explanation_ U.C. Press, 1976.  Wright largely  
supports Alan's view of teleological explanation.  
  
Greg Ransom