目的论（英语：Teleology）属于哲学的范畴，致力于探讨事物产生的目的、本源和其归宿。

传统上目的论与哲学自然论（或偶然论）是对立的。例如，自然论者会认为人有眼睛所以人有视力，即所谓「形式决定功能」（function following form）；相反，目的论者认为人有眼睛因为人需要视觉，即是所谓的「功能决定形式」（form follows function）。

以下阿里士多德和卢克莱修的言论，正好反映了目的论与自然论的对立。

Teleology (from Greek telos, meaning end or purpose) is the philosophical study of nature by attempting to describe things in terms of their apparent purpose, directive principle, or goal. A purpose that is imposed by a human use, such as that of a fork, is called extrinsic. Natural teleology, common in classical philosophy but controversial today, contends that natural entities also have intrinsic purposes, irrespective of human use or opinion. For instance, Aristotle claimed that an acorn's intrinsic telos is to become a fully grown oak tree.