All objects of the physical world are endowed with the capacity to change their state, and these changes follow natural laws. They are end-directed only in a passive, automatic way, regulated by external forces or conditions. Since the end-state of such inanimate objects is automatically achieved, such changes might be designated as teleomatic. The law of gravity and the second law of thermodynamics are among the natural laws which most frequently govern teleomatic processes. The occurrence of goal-directed processes is perhaps the most characteristic feature os the world of living organisms.
All teleonomic behavior is characterized by two components.
Each particular program is the result of natural selection, constantly adjusted by the selective value of the achieved end-point. Most behavior, particularly in higher organisms, is controlled by such open programs. A system is capable of performing teleonomic processes because it was programmed to function in this manner. The origin of the program that is responsible for the adaptiveness of the system is an entirely independent matter. Biology actually consists of two rather different major fields of study.