Aristotle's Physics

Aristotle and the Six Modes of Causation In Book II, Part 3 of Aristotle's "Physics," the Greek philosopher Aristotle discusses different definitions or notions of causation, which form a four-tiered taxonomy of different, though somewhat overlapping types of causes. The first kind of cause is the cause of a thing's source. Next, is the cause of a thing's essence. Third and fourthly, there is that what gives something motion and also what gives it rest.

Aristotle also notes that although "the modes of causation are many" when brought under heads they too can be reduced in number to "six." Modes of causation are ways that things are caused, as opposed to the definition or taxonomy of the causes themselves. Of the first of these six modes of causation, the first is how one thing that may be prior to another, such as a doctor that is the cause of health.

The second, contrasting mode of causation is the nature of a sculptor and a statue, which is caused by the maker. The distinction between these two modes is quite evident -- for without a doctor, there may be 'health,' although the doctor may cause health in a sick person. However, without a sculptor, by definition, there would be no sculptor.

Then there are also "the classes in which the incidental attribute is included; thus a man could be said to be the cause of a statue or, generally, a living creature." Aristotle, in the third and fourth modes of causation thus discusses the different ways that modifications or adjectival descriptions of the modes of causation may be addressed. Thirdly, an incidental attribute too may be more or less remote to the subject-as-cause. For instance, "a pale man" or "a musical man" may be the cause of the statue.

These adjectives may describe the cause, namely the man, but have nothing to do with his role as a sculptor or the construction of the end product of the statue. The specificity of how the cause is defined by the describer. However, some of these adjectival modifications about the sculptor may be incidental (significant) as remote (insignificant) in attribute.

For instance, a sculptor who is "well-trained" could also make the statue, as well as a "pale man." The adjectival descriptions of significant and remote modifications thus, forms the third and fourth of Aristotle's breakdown of the modes of causation. Lastly similar distinctions can be made in the things of which the causes are causes. These form the fifth and six modes of Aristotle's modes of causation. In the fifth example, for instance, the sculptor caused the statue. However, the statue can cause the production of an image.

For instance, the production of 'this statue of the discus thrower' or of 'statue constructed by the sculptor' can cause the production of an 'image' generally of a discus thrower. The sculptor causes the statue, but the statue itself is the direct cause and source of the image. Sixthly and lastly, there is the issue of causation as composition.

To return to the example of the statue, 'this bronze' or of 'bronze' or of 'material' generally can be said to be the 'cause' or source of the statue's and the image's existence. Although the sculptor produces the statue, without the compositional cause of bronze there could be no statue. In conclusion, Aristotle reiterates, "All these various uses, however, come to six in number, under each of which again the usage is twofold.

Cause means either what is particular or a genus, or an incidental attribute or a genus of that, and these either as a complex or each by itself; and all six either as actual or as.