Aristotle’s theory of the four causes

In this article, I present one of Aristotle’s key contributions to philosophy. Aristotle’s theory of the four causes seems at first sight very easy to understand, but if you dig into the details, you will see its epochal consequences. It changed human mentality, and in doing so, it changed the course of history. The four causes, and in particular the final cause, can dramatically change your life for the better. Aristotle adopted a systematic approach to studying the world. His theory of the four causes entails that, if you want to fully understand something, you should consider four distinct causes. First, a material cause that pertains to the material substance that makes up an item or creature. For example, the material cause of a woollen suit is wool. Second, a formal cause that relates to the object’s shape or structure. In the case of the woollen suit, the formal cause consists of a vest and a pair of pants. Their shape constitutes a suit, not a scarf, a raincoat, a shirt, or an overall. Third, an efficient cause that is concerned with the agent or force responsible for making the object. It replies to the question “What brought the object into existence?” In the context of the suit, the efficient cause is the tailor who made it. Fourth, a final cause that deals with the purpose. It answers the question, “Why does the object exist?” In the case of the suit, the final cause is to allow me to wear the suit for work, formal dinners, and other such occasions. The theory of the four causes seems simple enough as a tool for analysing reality, but as we’ll see now, it gets exceedingly complicated when it is coupled to social and political events. It is not exaggerated to affirm that Aristotle’s theory of causation has driven the intellectual discourse for twenty-five centuries. In the Middle Ages, Avicenna (980-1037) took over the four causes and applied them to his environment. Avicenna was a prominent Persian sage in the Islamic Golden Age. Although he was profoundly influenced by Aristotle’s ideas, he made a large change to the theory of the four causes. Avicenna’s theory involved a material cause equivalent to Aristotle’s material cause, focusing on the physical substance of an object. For what concerns the formal cause, Avicenna expanded Aristotle’s concept by including not only the essential features of an object, but also the secondary “accidental” ones. In this way, Avicenna allowed for a broader understanding of an object’s nature. Avicenna also retained Aristotle’s concept of efficient cause, but introduced the idea of “necessary existence.” Avicenna was suggesting that the efficient cause of everything is God, which is the only necessary being. The concept of necessary existence enabled Avicenna to reconcile the four causes with Islam. For what concerns the final cause, Avicenna showed a very heavy influence of Plato. Instead of expanding on Aristotle’s key innovation, Avicenna downplayed its importance. Instead of studying the ethical aspects of the final cause, he suggested that everything in the universe is moving toward the ultimate goal of returning to prime mover. This theory is very similar to Plato’s endless search for perfect ideas or forms. Thirteen centuries after Aristotle’s death, Avicenna initiated a tradition of distorting the four causes to fit his beliefs. I don’t doubt that Avicenna had powerful reasons to do so, but ended up losing the final cause as a tool for studying human behaviour. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/aristotles-theory-of-the-four-causes/