Teleology Article Discussion: Children’s Preference on Teleological Explanations

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Children’s Preference on Teleological Explanations
Teleology is a way of explaining a particular thing, situation, or phenomena with regards to their final end to which it partakes. In this kind of explanation, a certain aspect exists for the purpose of making another thing possible. Young children have the tendency to lean on explanations of the natural world in terms of their function and purpose. However, these teleological preferences changed over time (Kelemen).
Studies show that the change in children’s teleological preferences is heavily influenced by culture and education. Such findings suggest that there are mechanisms influencing these explanations as one is exposed to a specific culture or pedagogical materials, contexts, and practices. One justification suggests that as children listen and comprehend certain explanations, they tend to construct their own generalizations based on the specific explanation involved as well...