Aristotle Flashcards

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1
Q

Aristotle’s Understanding of Causation

A
  • Rejected many of the key aspects of Plato’s thought: The existence of a world of Forms separate from this world
  • A dualist approach
  • Was interested in how things came into being – how they went from potential to actual
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2
Q

Material

A

What something is made from

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3
Q

Efficient

A

The activity that makes something happen

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4
Q

Formal

A

The form or shape something has – allows it to be identified as whatever it is

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5
Q

Final

A

Its reason for existing/purpose. Can be understood as telos (end).

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6
Q

Final

A

Its reason for existing/purpose. Can be understood as telos (end).

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7
Q

Aristotle’s Concept of the Prime Mover

A
  • Aristotle understood everything as being caused by something else but rejected the idea of this chain being never-ending (a.k.a infinite regress).
  • Therefore this chain needs a beginning and someone/thing to begin it.
  • Aristotle believed that there must be some kind of efficient cause – someone or something performing some kind of action to make the change and motion in the universe happen.
  • He believed that the cause of the universe must be God – the Prime Mover – this must be something that causes without being affected itself.
  • Although it is correct to describe the Prime Mover as a ‘God’ who is not reliant on anything else for existence – it is very clear that this is not a personal God as understood by the Judaeo-Christian tradition.
  • The Prime Mover must be a being with no potential; something which already is everything that it could be, pure actuality – with no potential to change or to be acted upon. It cannot be ‘concerned’ about the world (as concern would change it and it does not need to change).
  • The Prime Mover is the efficient cause of all things – not so much in being the ‘pusher’ of the first cause and subsequent chain reaction instead the Prime Mover is the thing towards which everything moves by attraction or desire.
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