 Windelband emphasizes that the distinction between nomothetic and idiographic sciences is a purely formal and teleological one. One and the same object can be approached from both points of view, and which method is appropriate depends entirely on the goal or purpose of the investigation. Moreover, most sciences will involve both general and particular knowledge. The idiographic sciences in particular depend on general and causal knowledge which has been derived from the nomothetic sciences (1894: 156–157).