Aristotle Summary

Aristotle's 4 Causes
1. Material Cause- the matter or substance from which something is made
2. The Formal Cause- what gives the matter its form or structure
3. The Efficient Cause- the cause of an object/ thing existing
4. The Final Cause- the reason why something's the way it is
Plato and Aristotle
1. Different
2. Aristotle: emphasises value of studying physical world
3. Effectively rejects Plato's theory of Forms
4. Rejects dualism and adapts Plato's understanding of the soul
The Prime Mover
1. The source that causes the motion and change of the universe without being moved and that is eternal
2. Exists of necessity
3. Is the Final Cause
4. Linked with God; in 'Metaphysics' Aristotle calls this being 'God'
5. Is related to the universe
  1. As a leader
  2. In the ordering of the Universe
6. Problems
  1. Relationship between it and universe is unclear
  2. Aristotle's PM is transcendent and cannot interact in the universe in the way that religious believers often talk about God's activity in the world
  3. The casual relationship between the PM thinking and the universe is unclear
  4. Is there a final cause or purpose to the universe?

Resource summary

	Created by Miranda Daniel about 9 years ago