Following on from Plato’s Theory of Forms, we will now discuss Aristotle’s Four Causes.
Who was Aristotle?
Aristotle was a student of Plato. However, he did not agree with all of Plato’s Philosophies! Aristotle was interested in the nature of things and how we explain why things exist, just as Plato was.
What was Aristotle interested in?
- Plato suggested that all things were an imitation of an ideal Form. Aristotle rejected this idea.
- Instead he was interested in matter and why a particular piece of matter exists in the way it does.
- If we look at a TV, for example, we can see that the TV is made of different materials, has a certain design and we know that people or machines put it together to become a TV. After all, having a pile of parts which make up a TV is not the same as having a real TV.
- Hence, Aristotle observed that there must be more than one cause for things to exist. This resulted in the development of Aristotle’s four causes.
Aristotle’s Four Causes:
Aristotle’s four causes were the material cause, the forma cause, the efficient cause and the final cause.
- The Material Cause – this is the substance that something is made from. For example, a TV is made from glass and metal and plastic.
- The Formal Cause – this refers to what gives the matter its form. For example, a TV is not just a piece of glass but glass and metal arranged in a certain way and programmed to work as it does.
- The Efficient Cause – this refers to the reason behind somethings existence. For example, a TV exists because someone has the idea to build one and put all the parts together to make it work.
- The Final Cause – this cause is the reason why something is the way it is. This asks the question, what is the function of this object? Why does a TV have glass on the screen? So that we can watch it. The Final Cause is the reason why a thing exists in the first place, what is its function.
Aristotle’s Four Causes Example:
If we ask what caused a house to exist, Aristotle would give you the following answers:
Material Cause: It is made of bricks and concrete.
Formal Cause: The bricks and concrete have been assembled so that a structure has emerged.
Efficient Cause: A builder put all its parts together.
Final Cause: Its function is to be a place where we can sleep and be warm.
What do you think of Aristotle’s four causes?
You might also like to read about Problems with Descartes Philosophy and Top 10 Philosophy Movies.
What are your says?
I am writing a book, and need pictures of Aristotle, Plato, and Rene Descartes. Do you know who owns the pictures on your website? To whom should I inquire about getting permission to use the pictures?
You can actually search for ‘Creative Commons’ license images on google, and if they are Creative Commons licensed it means that you are allowed to use them 😉 If they are not, you have to email and get written permission from the photographer or owner. Hope that’s helpful and good luck.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for asking. You can use any images that have a Creative Commons license, and you can search for those through google – that’s what I do. All my images should like click through to the owner an be CC. Double check everything before you use any image because if it’s not CC you need permission from the owner to use. Hope that’s helpful. Amy.
nice equates, leads mind to think
Thank you so much Amy Trumpeter for writing this, it was very helpful!