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If we take the case Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:35:11 +0000 We have already seen how first step may be taken in this direction by breaking down the distinction between matter and form. A typical illustration may now help us to proceed farther. If we take the case of house it is evident that we may give sort of explanation of it by calling attention to the stones bricks wood iron and so forth out of which it is composed. Autor of the post: Undefined Early accounts of the world Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:16:16 +0000 To do this is to give its material cause and if it were the ruins of house instead of house in being it might be all the explanation mat was wanted. In dealing with heap of rubbish we might be content to know what kinds of rubbish are there. Early accounts of the world as consisting of fire air water and earth were somewhat of this character. Autor of the post: Undefined But even the how Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:01:05 +0000 In explaining house however it is evident that we are carried much farther by giving an account of its form of the order in which the various things of which it is composed are arranged. This gives the how instead of the whereof. But even the how is not much of an explanation without the why. Autor of the post: Undefined To answer this at all Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:41:49 +0000 This we get in the case of the house by an account of the purposes that are served by doors windows chimneys etc and of the advantages of using particular materials in their construction of placing them in particular positions etc This supplies us with reasons but hardly yet with causes. We still want to know whereby. To answer this at all fully we have to make use of the other three modes of explanation. Autor of the post: Undefined The architect having understood Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:28:43 +0000 It would be natural to begin with the final cause. We might begin by stating that some individual recognized the value of having house at particular place and ascertained that he had the means of employing an architect and builder. The architect having understood what was wanted thought out and prepared his plans. Autor of the post: Undefined If however the house Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:12:10 +0000 The builder having understood the plans having become aware of the form instructed number of people to secure the necessary materials to bring them to the place where they were wanted and to put them together. The owner the architect the builder and the various workers who are employed are the efficient causes but they become efficient by apprehending and making use of the final cause the formal cause and the material cause. If however the house after being built were to be wrecked by an earthquake it would be difficult to point to any final cause for this result there would only be certain materials in certain forms and certain forces working in accordance with certain laws. Autor of the post: Undefined The stones that enter into Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:53:55 +0000 Now when we consider these four causes it seems clear that the material cause is not what we understand by cause in any ordinary acceptation of the term. We have already given some ground for believing that matter cannot be in any ultimate sense distinguished from form. The stones that enter into the constitution of house have already form of their own. Autor of the post: Undefined What is formed Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:39:13 +0000 This form may be in some degree modified by the workmen before the stones are placed together to form part of the house. The house itself might come to form part of city and its structure might have to be in some degree modified for this purpose. What is formed may be re-formed and may become part of larger whole that has different form. Autor of the post: Undefined The final cause may also Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:24:18 +0000 Throughout such transformations it is always forms with which we are concerned and it does not appear to be really possible to distinguish matter as anything essentially different. Hence we may set aside the material cause. The final cause may also be set aside for the present though it may be necessary to return to it afterwards. Autor of the post: Undefined The purpose becomes cause only Post Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:11:48 +0000 In our ordinary use of the term it does not constitute cause. The mere fact that something would serve purpose or have value does not in our ordinary experience bring it into being. The purpose becomes cause only by becoming efficient. 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