The Four Causes

Since there are these four causes, the scientist must be familiar with them all and ask the "whys" appropriate to his science in reference to them-the matter, the form, the agent. and the end (the "for- what").
- Aristotle, Physics

What causes change and motion? Plato denied the reality of change. It was a quality only of the visible world, of which we could have no certain knowledge. But Aristotle, gradually breaking away from the philosophy of his beloved teacher, came to think that change was real and had to be explained. To explain how a thing comes to be as it is Aristotle developed his theory of the Four Causes, These were: l) the Formal cause - what it is; 2) the Material cause - of what it is made; 3) the Efficient cause - by what, or whom, it is made; and 4) the Final cause - for what it is made. What, of what, by what, for what--these Four Causes explain a thing and enable us to understand it scientifically (Aristotle felt Plato's Forms didn't explain enough, and only duplicated one's troubles- in understanding things).

For example, consider a sculpture of Socrates: What is it? What is its formal cause? A bust of Socrates. Of what is it made? What is its Material cause? Marble. By what or whom is it made? What is its Efficient cause? The sculptor. For what is it made? What is its Final cause? To honor Socrates.

Or consider a paper coffee cup: What is it? A cup. Of what is it made? Paper. By what or whom is it made? A factory. For what is it made? To hold coffee.

All artifacts can be understood this way, Aristotle thought, and also all natural things. Consider a horse, for example~ What is it? A horse. Of what is- it made? Flesh and bone. by what was- it made? Its parents, a male and a female horse, and also its trainer, and, Aristotle said, the art of horsemanship.

For what is it made? The final cause of any natural thing is to become what it is meant to be. So the Final cause of a horse is to become a good, mature horse which can pull a plow or be ridden. What do you think Aristotle would have said about a person?

Bibliography

Aristotle, The Basic Works, Random House, New York, 1941. See the Metaphysics and the Physics.