Conceptions of Causation From Aristotle, Newtonian, and Kantian

Conceptions of Causation
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Course Code and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date Submitted
Conceptions of Causation
Aristotle’s Causation Theory
Aristotle's theory of causation is a fundamental concept in the philosophical framework, and it is evident in the works of Aristotle, such as Physics and Metaphysics. In the theory, Aristotle posits that there is a comprehensive nature of causation, which deals with four interrelated causes. These causes are helpful because they explain why things are happening in society. The four causes in Aristotle's theory are the material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, and the final cause.
In material cause explanation, it happens to deal with materials or substances from which things are made. An example is that the material causes of sculptures could emerge from things like marble, which is later curved to make the material. The second cause is formal cause, which refers to specific forms, patterns, or structures that give an identity to something. It, therefore, answers the question, such as what is something? When looking at the case of a sculpture, the formal cause would be any artistic ideas that are developed or designs evident in the sculptor's mind. The third is the efficient cause, which refers to the agent or the forces that bring something to existence. It is the force that initiates change (Gontier, 2023). Efficient cause is an active principle that results in responsible transformation and dealing with creating something. The last one is the final cause, also called the teleological cause. Mainly, it deals with the purpose, aims, and understanding of the goals of doing something and making it exist. The