The Four Causes

Aristotle, as he himself tells us, was the first philosopher to identify all four kinds of causes. Each cause is a different kind of answer to the question “why?” There are four kinds of answers to this question (i.e. answers which identify the matter, form, source and end).

Thus, to the question, “why is this a statue?”, Aristotle can give four sorts of answers: This is a statue because it is made of marble; because it is in the shape of David; because Michelangelo sculpted it; because Michelangelo wanted to depict the figure of David in marble (because he needed the money, perhaps). An account of each kind of cause is important for a fully scientific account of whatever a philosopher is explaining. Aristotle developed his account of the four causes from his analysis of change. (Click here for a summary of this analysis of change).

• Material Cause
  • Prime Matter: Principle of potency for substantial change
  • Proximate Matter: What material substances are made from
  • Virtual Presence: Chemical elements in complex substances
  • What Underlies the Conversion between Particles and Energy
  • Principle of Corruptibility
  • Principle of Individuation
• Formal Cause
• Efficient Cause
  • General Principles of Causality
    • Whatever is moved, is moved by another
    • Every agent acts insofar as it is in act
    • Nothing causes except by an act which it possesses.
  • Principle of Proportionate Causality(resemblance between cause and effects)
    • Formal
    • Virtual
    • Eminent
  • Causal Subordination
    • Incidental (per accidens)
    • Essential (per se)
  • First Cause of Motion, Efficient Causality, and Existence
• Final Cause

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