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Aristotle The Four Causes

The world is constantly changing…

Things grow and decay…

Everything is caused by something else… ABCForever? B is caused by CA is caused by BIs this chain of cause and effect infinite?

Potentiality & Actuality There are two states of being: Potentiality – the possibility of doing something or becoming something. Actuality – when potential is achieved.

For example… You have the potential to achieve a grade A in AS Religious Studies. It is not yet actualised because you haven’t achieved it yet. Just because there is the potential does not mean it will definitely be actualised. You have to work hard to achieve that A!

Potentiality to Actuality The sperm and the egg have the potential to become …

But something needs to cause the sperm and the egg to change from potentiality to actuality. It cannot happen on its own.

Aristotle was interested in the movement from potentiality to actuality… He thought that everything single thing that is actualised has four causes of existence: Material Efficient Formal Final

Material Cause The things out of which an object is created.

Efficient Cause The way in which an object is created.

The Formal Cause The expression, idea or plan that led to the creation of an object. Its characteristics.

The Final Cause The aim for which an object is created.

Each cause is a different kind of answer to the question "why?" There are four kinds of answers to this question – answers which identify the matter, source, form and end.

So, why is this a statue? This is a statue because it is made of marble; because Michelangelo sculpted it; because it is in the shape of David; because Michelangelo wanted to depict the figure of David in marble (because he needed the money, perhaps).

Try identifying the Four causes of the following.. MaterialEfficientFormalFinal Cup Chair Clock Gun Watch Beef burger Computer Robot Dog Cow

What about a human being? What are our Material Efficient Formal Final causes?

Everything is caused by something else… ABCForever? B is caused by CA is caused by BIs this chain of cause and effect infinite? But for Aristotle this chain cannot go on forever… Who made the chain come into being?

The Prime Mover For Aristotle the chain of cause and effect cannot go on forever. So we must ask what started off the chain? Aristotle argued there must be a thing that started it with out itself being caused. An Uncaused Cause Or the Prime (meaning first) Mover

Where is the Prime Mover? Everything within time and space is subject to change and we can ask of everything within the Universe, even the universe itself, what caused it to be? What causes everything to be or started off the chain of cause and effect must therefore be outside of time and space.

Homework “Evaluate Aristotle’s four causes.” Do you agree that they represent a useful way of viewing reality?