question archive Aristotle famously distinguishes several ways of being a "cause" or for being "responsible" for something else being the case
Aristotle famously distinguishes several ways of being a "cause" or for being "responsible" for something else being the case
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Aristotle famously distinguishes several ways of being a "cause" or for being "responsible" for something else being the case. The purpose of this assignment is to get clearer about what this means.
- First, formulate a question that asks why some "S is P" that could be answered by citing causes of all four types. For example, "Why do birds have feathers?" (S is P = a bird is feathered) or "Why do tables have flat surfaces?" (S is P = tables are flat-surfaced). You must use an example that is not one of the examples used in lecture. This is a chance to think creatively.
- Next, give answers to that question that cite each of the four causes in a way you take to be maximally accurate or precise. For example, the specific type of wood the table is made of might be the cause as "matter" of the table being flat-surfaced, and the carpenter (or even the technê the carpenter possesses) might be the cause as "maker" or "efficient cause" of that fact, and so on. Make clear in your answer in which type of causal relation you intend for each of the specific causes you cite to stand to the effect (i.e, to the "S is P" in question). (That is, label each answer as "the material cause", "the efficient cause", and so on.)
- Finally, give an example of answers (of all four types) that cite merely coincidental causes. For example, the carpenter might also be a musician, in which case the musician might also be considered the efficient cause of the table being flat-surfaced, but only coincidentally (i.e, because the musician "coincides" with the carpenter). Another way to put this would be to ask you to specify some "kookie object" that is "one in number, though two in being" with the intrinsic or per se cause you cited. Please follow the same way for each of the four types of causes.
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S is P question:
Why are houses big structures?
Step-by-step explanation
1.
(Houses are big structures)
Question form:
Why are houses big structures?
2.
material cause: because houses are made of materials which when combined together form a big structure.
efficient cause: because there are many workers involved in the construction of the said house
formal cause: because the house was designed to have a big structure according to the design of the architect and engineers
final cause: because the owner has willed that he wants to have a big house for his living.
3.
material cause: the materials come from a rainforest, hence the rainforest is also a material cause albeit coincidentally.
efficient cause: the workers are also body-builders, hence body builders are also efficient causes albeit coincidentally.
formal cause: the architect and engineers are also respectively artists and mathematicians, hence the artist and the mathematician are also formal causes albeit coincidentally.
final cause: the owner is also a successful businessman, hence the business man is also a final cause, albeit coincidentally.
