The Physics

  

          
                  by Aristotle (350 BC)

               

     translated by R. P. Hardie and R. K. Gaye



                  The Four Causes



                      Book 3

 





  Now that we have established these distinctions, we must proceed



to consider causes, their character and number. Knowledge is the



object of our inquiry, and men do not think they know a thing till



they have grasped the 'why' of (which is to grasp its primary



cause). So clearly we too must do this as regards both coming to be



and passing away and every kind of physical change, in order that,



knowing their principles, we may try to refer to these principles each



of our problems.



  In one sense, then, (1) that out of which a thing comes to be and



which persists, is called 'cause', e.g. the bronze of the statue,



the silver of the bowl, and the genera of which the bronze and the



silver are species.



  In another sense (2) the form or the archetype, i.e. the statement



of the essence, and its genera, are called 'causes' (e.g. of the



octave the relation of 2:1, and generally number), and the parts in



the definition.



  Again (3) the primary source of the change or coming to rest; e.g.



the man who gave advice is a cause, the father is cause of the



child, and generally what makes of what is made and what causes change



of what is changed.



  Again (4) in the sense of end or 'that for the sake of which' a



thing is done, e.g. health is the cause of walking about. ('Why is



he walking about?' we say. 'To be healthy', and, having said that,



we think we have assigned the cause.) The same is true also of all the



intermediate steps which are brought about through the action of



something else as means towards the end, e.g. reduction of flesh,



purging, drugs, or surgical instruments are means towards health.



All these things are 'for the sake of' the end, though they differ



from one another in that some are activities, others instruments.



  This then perhaps exhausts the number of ways in which the term



'cause' is used.