University:
York University
Course:
PHIL 6420 | Topics in Moral Psychology
Academic year:

2024
Views:

443

Pages:

1
Author:

Rudi Yanto

Notes on Aristotle's Four Causes In Physics II: 3, Aristotle introduced the doctrine of four "causes" or explanatory factors. A "cause" answers the question "why?". Aristotle claimed that there are four basic types of "why" questions, and accordingly there are four basic types of causes. The four causes are: END CAUSE: (goal, end, purpose, function, telos): Why does he walk? To stay fit. FORMAL CAUSES: (essence, structure, form, arrangement): Why does this body live? Because it has a soul (soul is a form of the body). Why does the ball roll? Because it is a ball. MATERIAL CAUSE: (constituent, which is made up of something, or from where (as a base) it arises): Why is this statue green? Because it is made of copper. EFFICIENT CAUSE: (main source of change/movement and rest): Why is he fit? Because he walked. Note that in the example given above, fitness is the ultimate cause of walking (i.e., it is the goal or purpose of walking) and walking is the cause of efficient fitness (walking is what causes the changes in the body that make up fitness). Aristotle also believed that in many cases the final and formal causes coincide: the (ideal) form of man is what makes man what he is, and is the goal of human development. The doctrine of the four reasons best applies to biological objects. In terms of explaining biological objects (natural state, behavior, activity, development), one can usually give all four causes. This is related to Aristotle's idea of biological objects because he believed that they should be understood as a collection of material components (ultimately, earth, air, fire and water) that are structured or shaped in such a way as to move towards a self-determined goal. This is true, for example, about humans. Given that human beings are made up of matter, sometimes there will be questions about us that must be answered in terms of the type of material that human beings are made of, for example, the human body would fall through the air to the surface of the earth because it contains a lot of soil. So if I fall out of a window, my fall should be explained in terms of my material components. However, earth, air, fire, and water, do not possess such properties that they will by themselves form humans. The simple mechanical principles that govern these elements in no way can explain how, or why, mass matter is formed into living organisms. To explain this, Aristotle believed that we need a new level of explanation, that is, a FORMAL explanation. It is the form responsible for certain ingredients that form themselves into living organisms. Further, many of the things that humans do can only be explained by the fact that they are human. For example, I am able to make moral choices and contemplate the truth. This is something that cannot be explained by showing that I am made of a specific material component; One should turn to the consideration of what kind of me is, for example, my form.