Philosophy for Theologians

Question 1

5. Explain Aristotle’s approach to causation? What are the ways in which something may be a cause

Answer 1

1. Formal Causes: the form or pattern of an object that gives its definition and essence.
2. Material Causes: The material or matter out of which something is made.
3. Efficient Causes: Things or people which bring something into being.
4. Final Causes: the telos, end, the goal to which an object is created.

Question 2

Justification

Answer 2

Formal cause: The Law of God
Material cause: Christ righteousness
Efficient cause: imputation
Final Cause: goal of glorifying God in being the just and the justifier of sinners.

Question 3

Aristotle, distinctive feature of his ethics

Answer 3

a.Aristotle frames his approach to ethics in terms of his teleological principle that everything is designed to have an end or purpose
b. That is that it is a system which focuses on the virtues or the internal disposition of the person as the chief concern motive and ethical standard.

Question 4

How is “dualism” a part of Plato’s thought?

Answer 4

a.Plato believed that reality consisted of a dualism between matter and form/idea

b.idea” to be more important than matter

c.matter to be inherently inferior to and the source of evil.