Aristotle's four causes
- Created by: Emily Uffindell
- Created on: 19-03-14 10:01
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- Aristotle's four causes
- Aristotle's interest was to explain why things exist in the way they do.
- He rejects the idea that things which exist in some way participate in or imitate an ideal Form of an object as Plato suggested.
- The Four Causes: Aristotle identified four causes to explain why a thing or an object exists in the way it does.
- The Material cause: What something is made of.
- The Efficient cause: The cause of the thing coming into existence.
- The formal cause: What makes the thing recognisable (structure/shape)
- The final cause: There are ultimate reasons why the thing exists.
- This cause is concerned with why the reason why something is the way it is.
- The final causes is teleological
- The word "teleological" originates from the Greek work "telos." "Telos," refers to the final goal or purpose of something.
- So any argument that is teleological is concerned with making points about either a goal or purpose of something.
- Aristotle is not saying that there is design or purpose in nature.
- He is saying that when you consider any object or think it has some function which is the which is the ultimate reason why this thing exists.
- Aristotle's marble statue example.
- Material cause: It's made of marble.
- Formal cause: It has the shape of a statue.
- Efficient cause: A mason made it.
- Final Cause: It's function is to be a beautiful statue that honours/remembers or recalls something.
- Aristotle's marble statue example.
- He is saying that when you consider any object or think it has some function which is the which is the ultimate reason why this thing exists.
- The word "teleological" originates from the Greek work "telos." "Telos," refers to the final goal or purpose of something.
- The final causes is teleological
- This cause is concerned with why the reason why something is the way it is.
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