As Noções Aristotélicas de Forma e Causa Formal em Física II

Abstract

The doctrine of the four causes is fundamental for understanding Aristotelian philosophy. However, the notions of formal cause and its correlate <form= entail many interpretative difficulties. We cannot apprehend directly, by the corpus aristotelicum, what the notion of form is. This, in turn, makes it difficult to understand what was later known as formal cause. Because of this, the present dissertation aims to analyze the notions of form and formal cause focusing specifically on Physics II, for it is in Physics II 3 where we find the most complete treatment of Aristotle9s aitiology and the form plays a central role in development of the hylomorphism. We begin by explaining the trajectory of Physics II; then, we analyze the notion and importance of cause for the Stagirite. In the next section we present the doctrine of four causes and some difficulties related to the notion of form and explain hylomorphism and the notion of form it involves. Finally, we conclude by explaining what the notion of formal cause is within the scope we delimit.