Analyse Aristotle's Causes (Aitiai)

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Unlike his teacher, Plato 428-347BC, Aristotle 384-322BC did not believe in 'The World Of Forms' and therefore the idea that everything could be measured using it's 'Perfect Form'. Aristotle's ideas were based on what we experience whereas Plato's ideas were based on a world beyond that of what we see. Aristotle wanted to examine what it meant for something to be real, and this is how he formed his ideas of the four causes. His theory was based on knowledge that was acquired through experience He wrote in his book 'Metaphysics' that he believed that everything in this world has four reasons for being and a definite purpose. He said that each thing had four reasons which explained what, why and how they were; these reasons were what he called The Four Causes.

The Four Causes are: 1. The Material Cause - what a thing is made of i.e. metal, wood etc., 2. The Efficient Cause - how it came into being, i.e. what/who made it, 3. The Formal Cause - what characteristics does it have that makes it what it is and finally 4. The Final Cause -why was it made? The Final Cause of something could also