The Process of Change: The Four Causes

 

 

1. Take a second look at The Process of Change: The Four Causes table in the module.
2. Select three things you want to analyze through the Four Causes.
3. Fill in the table with those three things in the third column.
4. Share your findings with us.
Causes Questions
Formal cause What is it?
Material cause What is it made of?
Efficient cause By what is it made?
Final cause For what end is it made?

 

Sample Solution

The Four Causes: Analyzing a Smartphone

Here’s a breakdown of how the Four Causes can be applied to a smartphone:

Causes Questions Analysis (Smartphone)
Formal Cause What is it? The form of a smartphone is its design, blueprint, or the specific arrangement of its parts that gives it its function as a mobile communication and computing device. This includes the hardware (screen, processor, camera) and software (operating system, applications) working together.
Material Cause What is it made of? The material cause of a smartphone are the physical components it’s built from. These include various metals (lithium for batteries, rare earth elements for magnets), plastics, glass, and silicon chips.
Efficient Cause By what is it made? The efficient cause of a smartphone is the manufacturing process that transforms raw materials into the final product. This involves engineers, designers, factory workers, and the assembly lines that put everything together.
Final Cause For what end is it made? The final cause of a smartphone is its purpose or goal. This is to provide users with mobile communication, information access, entertainment, and various other functionalities. It’s designed to improve connectivity, productivity, and overall user experience.

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