Aristotle's Four Causes

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What are Aristotle's Four Causes?
Aristotal believed that the Four Causes could tell us the meaning of everything in the universe (e.g. a table, an apple tree, a dog, etc.)
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The First Cause
Material - What the matter is composed of. For example, a book is made out of paper and ink.
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The Second Cause
Efficient - What caused or created the object. For example, a publisher physically made the book.
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The Third Cause
Formal - The characteristics o an object. For example, a book has pages, words, a cover, etc.
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The Fourth Cause
Final - The purpose (telos) of the object. What is the purpose of a book? To inform, entertain, etc.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Material - What the matter is composed of. For example, a book is made out of paper and ink.

Back

The First Cause

Card 3

Front

Efficient - What caused or created the object. For example, a publisher physically made the book.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Formal - The characteristics o an object. For example, a book has pages, words, a cover, etc.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Final - The purpose (telos) of the object. What is the purpose of a book? To inform, entertain, etc.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5

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