The Psychology of Scientific Inquiry by Aaro Toomela

Author:Aaro Toomela
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030314491
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Present is indivisible. Therefore there is also no possibility to distinguish between different kinds of causality, or, in fact even to describe any one kind of causality. The description of the efficient cause, for instance, implies the existence of the potential cause, of something that is movable in principle, then the movement (of any kind) itself, which implies time, as well as to which the change proceeds.

Final Cause

Final cause seems to be the kind of cause that disturbs the present-day philosophers of causality most. It seems to tell that all things are designed with some purpose. In this case there should be an ultimate designer—the idea that does not fit into materialist world of modern science. Aristotelian account of the final cause, however, fits with the materialist world-view. First of all, he was clear that not everything is for something; and also, second, final cause itself is not unequivocally related only to purpose, to deliberate intention:[…] some events are for the sake of something, others not. Again, some of the former class are in accordance with deliberate intention, others not, but both are in the class of things which are for the sake of something. […] (Events that are for the sake of something include whatever may be done as a result of thought or of nature.) (Aristotle, 1941e, p. 244, 196b)

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