Aristotle

• Prime Mover

  • remains unaffected as it attracts others - passive
  • it a cause that actualises the potential in everything else - creating things
  • it is a being with no potential - fully actualised - it has no potential to be changed or acted upon - necessary existence
  • if the PM cannot change then it cannot cease to exist - eternal
  • it is beyond space, time and material - purely spiritual, not thinking about anything that could cause him to change
  • it is the final cause of everything that exists is in the universe - purpose - it is NOT the efficient cause because it cannot do anything
• Prime Mover

  S

  • influenced Christian idea of God - recognises the universe needs a cause which is God - Unmoved Mover
  • adequate explanation for the world - explains the reason why change and motives occurs - attraction
  • the prime mover as the final cause gives everything an ultimate purpose
  • avoids problem of evil - passive

  W

  • the relationship between the Prime Mover and its thinking and the universe is unclear
  • doesn't reflect Christian ideas-loving God
  • is there really a final cause to the universe - Russel -the universe = brute fact
  • Big Bang
  • Fallacy of Composition - assumption
• Understanding of reality 


  Aristotle recognised the cause and effect in the universe

  the world is a constant state of motion

  • reject infinite regress - infinite chain of causes - something must have started this chain/ caused the universe
  • this is God - Prime Mover

  He recognised that things have different explanations for their existence - four causes

  1. formal cause - shape
  2. material cause - materials it is made up of
  3. efficient cause - energy/ activity that makes something happen
  4. final cause - telos