--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Teleology is like a mistress to a…" description: "\"Teleology is like a mistress to a biologist: he cannot live without her but he's unwilling to be seen with her in public.\" — John B. S. Haldane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/john-b-s-haldane-10480_biologist_teleology-is-like-a-mistress-to-a-biolog_2277001.jpg" --- # Teleology is like a mistress to a biologist: he cannot… ![“Teleology is like a mistress to a biologist: he cannot live without her but he's unwilling to be seen with her in public.” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/john-b-s-haldane-10480_biologist_teleology-is-like-a-mistress-to-a-biolog_2277001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/john-b-s-haldane-10480_biologist_teleology-is-like-a-mistress-to-a-biolog_2277001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/john-b-s-haldane-10480_biologist_teleology-is-like-a-mistress-to-a-biolog_2277001.jpg) > “Teleology is like a mistress to a biologist: he cannot live without her but he's unwilling to be seen with her in public.” [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Biology relies on teleology as an unseen guide, yet scientists avoid openly acknowledging it. **In simple terms:** Science uses purpose but hides it. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden assumptions in scientific reasoning. Themes philosophy science methodology Mood critical thought‑provoking Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - research design - academic writing - science education Key Concepts teleology epistemology scientific bias Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to study biology without invoking purpose? - How does acknowledging teleology affect scientific objectivity? A Different Perspective Some argue teleology is unnecessary for rigorous science. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biologist/) [Biologist Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biologist-live-5298795/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress/) [Mistress Biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress-biologist-5300050/) [Teleology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teleology/) [Teleology Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teleology-like-5300051/) [Unwilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unwilling/) ## Related quotes > [Teleology is a lady without whom no biologist can live. 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Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [I have tried to show why I believe that the biologist is the most romantic figure on earth at the present day. At first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-have-tried-to-show-why-i-believe-that-the-biologist-is-the-most/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [“According to Teleology, each organism is like a rifle bullet fired straight at a mark; according to Darwin , organisms are like grapeshot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/according-to-teleology-each-organism-is-like-a-rifle-bullet-fired/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [In the beginning, there were no reasons; there were only causes. 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And as the eerie illumination of science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-denton/in-the-discoveries-of-science-the-harmony-of-the-spheres-is-also-now/) [Michael Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-denton/) > [Life is teleology par excellence; it is the intrinsic striving towards a goal, and the living organism is a system of directed aims which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/life-is-teleology-par-excellence-it-is-the-intrinsic-striving-towards/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“In either case, natural teleology would mean that the universe is rationally governed in more than one way—not only through the universal quantitative laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/in-either-case-natural-teleology-would-mean-that-the-universe-is/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) ## More by John B. S. Haldane > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A discussion between Haldane and a friend began to take a predictable turn. The friend said with a sigh, 'It's no use going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-discussion-between-haldane-and-a-friend-began-to-take-a-predictable/) [John B. S. 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Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/capitalism-though-it-may-not-always-give-the-scientific-worker-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-are-400-000-species-of-beetles-on-this-planet-but-only-8-000/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-is-no-great-invention-from-fire-to-flying-which-has-not-been/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Man armed with science is like a baby with a box of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/man-armed-with-science-is-like-a-baby-with-a-box-of-matches/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There can be no truce between science and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-can-be-no-truce-between-science-and-religion/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Science is vastly more stimulating to the imagination than the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/science-is-vastly-more-stimulating-to-the-imagination-than-the/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The future will be no primrose path. It will have its own problems. Some will be the secular problems of the past, giant flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-future-will-be-no-primrose-path-it-will-have-its-own-problems/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. "What inference," asked the latter, "might one draw about the nature of God from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/haldane-was-engaged-in-discussion-with-an-eminent-theologian-what/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon-the-late-war-is-only-an/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) [Explore all 65 John B. S. Haldane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## More Biologist quotes > [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. 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