The goal of teleology

I used to believe in a kind of evolutionary teleology, in which the emergence of human-like intelligence was bound to happen, sooner or later, not because of chance or blind necessity, but due to some kind of "law" or even "plan". Ironically, I believed in teleology even during my materialist period! Over the years, I have drifted away from "hard" teleology to a much softer position. At the moment, I wonder whether "teleology" captures my position at all.

Yes, the potential for intelligent beings to emerge certainly exists within the universe. Indeed, this might be a "spiritual" property of the cosmos which really comes from elsewhere. However, the universe and its Buddha-field is pregnant with innumerable other possibilities, too. Even when we speak of intelligence, there are several intelligent creatures on planet Earth: chimps, ravens, whales, octopi... There are also huge variations between individual humans when it comes to intelligence (in all its forms). If you believe in the paranormal, the number of intelligent entities rise even more sharply. So what makes us think that human intelligence is the teleological goal of the entire infinite 15-billion year universe? Not even "intelligence" itself might be a goal. Perhaps it always existed...

From the viewpoint of the Divine, humans are just as tiny as blue-green algae. "But God communicates with humans". What makes you think he doesn't communicate with blue-green algae?

As for human history, there doesn't seem to be any teleology at all. But sure, you can postulate it, if you like. But so could Hegel or that Florentine humanist who believed 15th century Florence was the zenith of human civilization (as a good Gerrie, Hegel naturally chose 19th century Germany). Or you could grab the bull by its horns and say that there is no teleology in history. 

History seems contingent. There are many instances where it could have taken an entirely different course. Hitler and the Axis could have defeated the Allies. Operation Valkyrie could have succeeded. The October revolution could have failed. The United States could (perhaps) have refrained from invading Iraq. The Arabs, the Mongols or the Turks could have conquered Central Europe. And what if the Natives in the New World had developed "herd immunity" against European disease?

How would history had looked like if the 14th century plague epidemic had never happened, if certain volcanoes had never erupted, or certain comets never impacted Earth? Or if Julian the Apostate had been emperor for as long as Constantine? (The battle of Salamis doesn't count.)

Where in all this is the teleology? And more importantly: What is the "goal" anyway?

Maybe the only telos is the infinite creativity of Brahman...