Thomistic Philosophy
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Thomistic Metaphysics
Cause and Effect

CAUSE : THAT WHICH EXERTS SOME INFLUENCE ON ANOTHER   Click to Expand ⤵

  1. The Four Causes
    (these have also been called "The Four Explanations," as they seek to answer the "Why" of any given thing and so provide an explanation of it)   ⤵
    1. Material Cause (a.k.a. "that out of which" or simply: Matter)
      The matter that undergoes the change to create the effect (answers the question: "What is it made out of?")
      (e.g. the bronze of a statue; the words in a poem)   ⤵
      1. Primary Material Cause
        The very basic matter of the thing that exists both before and after the thing undergoes a change, even if the very nature of the matter itself undergoes a change as well (as is the case with substantial change).
        (e.g. when a living creature dies, and its matter changes from organic to inorganic, the nature of the matter changes but it is the same piece of matter, namely, the same "primary matter")
      2. Secondary Material Cause
        The specific kind of matter of the thing undergoing a change, in which case the secondary matter might also change into some other secondary matter (as is the case with substantial change) or its matter might stay the same nature (as is the case with accidental change)
        (e.g. when an ice cube melts into a puddle, its accidents change, but the kind of matter, namely water, stays the same, since it remains water)

    2. Formal Cause (a.k.a. "the account of what-it-is-to-be" or simply: Form)
      The change caused by the arrangement, shape, or appearance of the thing being changed (answers the question: "How is it organized?")
      (e.g. the shape of a statue; the arrangement of the words in a poem)   ⤵
      1. Intrinsic Formal Cause (a.k.a. Specific Cause)
        The form of a thing as it exists in an actually existing, particular thing
        (e.g. the form of an actually existing building, causing the various materials it is made out of to be ordered in such a way that it makes it a building)
      2. Extrinsic Formal Cause (a.k.a. Ideal Cause or Exemplary Cause)
        The form of a thing as it exists separately and abstractly apart from actually existing things (but of which actual things that have this form is modeled after)
        Note: Some alternatively combine the "Exemplary Cause" with the Efficient and/or Final cause in different ways, while others have called it the "Fifth Cause," arguing that it is distinct from the other Four Causes.
        (e.g. the blueprint of a building, of which a real building could be based off)

    3. Efficient Cause (a.k.a. Agent Cause or Moving Cause or "the primary source of the change or rest")
      That which exists apart from the thing being changed but interacts with it to bring about the change; in the case of material beings, it is the thing that combines the matter and the form of a thing to create the thing (answers the question: "Who or What made it?")
      Note: "Efficient" here (in its more traditional and original meaning) means "bringing about an effect" and NOT necessarily (in its more modern and specific meaning) "bringing about an effect well"
      (e.g. the sculptor of a bronze statue; the poet who composes a poem)   ⤵
      1. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Dependency   ⤵
        1. First Cause (a.k.a. Primary Cause)
          The efficient cause which is independent from all other causes and on which all other causes depend on their activity
          (e.g. God is the only example of a First Cause)
        2. Second Cause (a.k.a. Secondary Cause)
          Any efficient cause which is dependent on the first cause
          (e.g. Humans are examples of Second Causes, since they can cause things but are themselves caused, ultimately by the first cause, namely God)

      2. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Instrumentation   ⤵
        1. Principal Cause
          Any efficient cause that exercises its own activity in the production of the effect and on which the effect primarily depends
          (e.g. a carpenter who is pounding a nail in with a hammer is the principal cause of the nail being pounded in)
        2. Instrumental Cause
          Any efficient cause which can exercise activity in the production of an effect only in so far as its power is applied and directed by a principal cause
          (e.g. the hammer being used by a carpenter is the instrumental cause for a nail being pounded in)

      3. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Sequence   ⤵
        1. Proximate Cause (a.k.a. Immediate Cause)
          An efficient cause which produces its effect without any other cause intervening
          (e.g. a vase hitting the floor can be said to be the proximate cause of the vase breaking)
        2. Remote Cause (a.k.a. Intermediate Cause or Mediate Cause)
          An efficient cause which produces its effect only through another cause (or even through several other causes)
          (e.g. a person dropping a vase [leading to it hitting the floor] can be said to be a more remote cause of the vase breaking)

      4. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Freedom   ⤵
        1. Necessary Cause
          An efficient cause which must act when all conditions for the action are present
          (e.g. when gasoline is mixed with fire, it necessarily causes an explosion)
        2. Free Cause
          An efficient cause which does not need to act when all the conditions for an action are present
          Note: This essentially pertains to beings that possess free will
          (e.g. even if a hungry human being is given easy access to food, the human is still free to eat the food or not to eat it)

      5. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Adequacy   ⤵
        1. Total Cause (a.k.a. Universal Cause or Adequate Cause)
          An efficient cause which by itself is equal to the production of the effect
          (e.g. a builder who contructs a house all by himself can be said to be the total cause of the house)
        2. Partial Cause (a.k.a. Particular Cause or Inadequate Cause)
          An efficient cause which is not equal by itself to the production of the effect
          (e.g. a builder among several other builders who construct a house can be said to be the partial cause of the house, since he was not the only one building it)

      6. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Influence   ⤵
        1. Physical Cause
          An efficient cause which produces an effect by the exercise of physical activity
          (e.g. an assassin is the physical cause of death of an assassinated person)
        2. Moral Cause
          An efficient cause which produces an effect by exercising moral activity, which affects directly the intellect and will of another (by suggestion, persuasion, intimidation, command, etc.)
          (e.g. a person who hires an assassin is a moral cause of death of the assassinated person)

      7. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Similarity   ⤵
        1. Univocal Cause
          An efficient cause which produces an effect of the same nature as itself
          (e.g. a mother hen is a univocal cause of a baby chick, as the two share the same nature, namely that of a chicken)
        2. Equivocal Cause
          An efficient cause which produces an effect of a different nature
          (e.g. an architect can be an equivocal cause of a building, as the two obviously share different natures)

      8. Two Kinds of Efficient Cause — distinguished by Perfection   ⤵
        1. Perfective Cause
          An efficient cause whose activity produces a finished effect
          (e.g. a writer of a story is the perfective cause of the story, not because the writer merely creates a situation for something else to make the story but rather causes the finished story itself)
        2. Dispositive Cause
          An efficient cause that provides a disposition for the production of the ultimate effect by another efficient cause (i.e. creates a sort of "preparatory effect" that in some way lays the foundation for the ultimate effect)
          Note: Some argue that this is not a "cause" of an effect in the technical sense but rather a "condition" of an effect
          (e.g. a male's semen is said to be the dispositive cause of the begetting a child, creating a disposition wherein God may imbue a soul into matter; notably, some theologians argue the sacraments might be dispositive causes of grace)

    4. Final Cause (a.k.a. Purpose or Goal or End or Ultimate Cause or "that for the sake of which a thing is done")
      The reason why the cause brought about the effect; what the effect is meant to do when it works properly; the completion that is aimed for by the cause (answers the question: "Given the kind of organized stuff it is, what does it do at its best?")
      (e.g. to put on display as a monument for people to admire might be the final cause of a sculptor when he makes a statue; to make people contemplate some profound emotional truth about life might be the final cause of a poet when he writes a poem)   ⤵
      1. Two Kinds of Final Cause — distinguished by Nature   ⤵
        1. Intrinsic Final Cause
          A purpose that a thing has because of the very thing that it is
          (e.g. an animal has the inclination to eat because of its very nature to survive through gaining what is nutritious to it, whether it actually succeeds in accomplishing this or not)
        2. Extrinsic Final Cause
          A purpose that a thing has because of something else that has given it some kind of purpose outside of its own nature (if only temporarily)
          (e.g. the purpose of a bowling ball to knock down bowling pins, not because the nature of bowling ball itself has the inclination to do so but rather because of the purpose given to it by a bowler, whether it actually succeeds in accomplishing this or not)

      2. Two Kinds of Final Cause — distinguished by Sequence   ⤵
        1. Proximate End (a.k.a. Proximate Final Cause or Nearest End)
          The first final cause in a series of final causes
          (e.g. the proximate end of pulling the trigger of a gun could be said to fire the gun, in contrast to hitting the target)
        2. Remote End (a.k.a. Remote Final Cause or Farther End)
          A subsequent final cause in a series of final causes (this include any end that follows after the proximate end)
          Note: The most remote end of an action can be called its "Ultimate Final Cause" or "Final End"
          (e.g. hitting the target with a gun is a remote end of pulling the trigger, in contrast to the proximate end of firing the gun)

      3. Two Kinds of Final Cause — distinguished by Intention   ⤵
        1. Finis Operis (a.k.a. "End of the Work")
          The end of an action itself, as opposed to the motive that the moral agent has for it
          (e.g. the finis operis of almsgiving would be for the poor to gain material goods, or other such provisions)
        2. Finis Operantis (a.k.a. "End of the Agent")
          The moral agent's own motive for doing a particular action, as opposed to the end of the action itself
          (e.g. one's finis operantis for almsgiving might be to look good in front of others, i.e. vainglory [which would be bad, even if the finis operis itself is good])

  2. Other Terms Relating to Causality   ⤵
    1. Principle
      That out of which something else proceeds
      Note: It is said that a cause is a kind of principle, since an effect proceeds from it (though not all principles are causes)
      (e.g. a painter is a principle of a painting, as well as a cause of it; the first page of a book can be said to be a principle for the rest of the book, though it is not the cause of it)
    2. Reason
      The explanation of a thing (knowing the cause of a thing is knowing an explanation about that thing)
      Note: The cause of a thing's existence is also a reason for the thing's existence (though not all reasons are causes)
      (e.g. wanting to satisfy hunger is a reason for eating, as well as a cause of it; God existing by His very nature is a reason for His existence, though not a cause of it)
    3. Condition
      A circumstance that aids for the working of the cause
      Note: Some philosophers argue that a "condition" is technically not a "cause," whereas others sometimes refer to it as a cause per accidens   ⤵
      1. Necessary Condition (a.k.a. Indispensible Condition)
        A condition that must be present for the cause to produce the effect
        (e.g. light is a necessary condition for reading a book, though it is not the cause of reading a book)
      2. Favorable Condition (a.k.a. Suitable Condition)
        A condition that is not required for the working of the cause but still aids the cause in producing the effect in some way
        Note: Relatedly, an "occasion" is a circumstance (or set of circumstances) that favors the operation of a free cause (i.e. makes it easier for a rational creature to choose some kind of action)
        (e.g. a fertile river valley is a favorable condition for growing crops but is not technically the cause of the crops growing; being around someone else's unguarded money is a favorable condition [as well as an occasion] for a person to choose to commit theft, though it is not the cause of it)
EFFECT : THAT WHICH IS INFLUENCED BY THE CAUSE