Socratic Logic - Reasoning

The Four Causes

The following are the notes I have taken from Peter Kreeft's wonderful Socratic Logic textbook. I highly recommend you buy it. This is a book which deals with classical logic (as opposed to modern symbolic logic.) It is easily the best overall book on logic I have ever read and one of the few I have that are worth making notes from. I even have a small duotang with these notes in it I can carry around and reference on a regular basis.

Causes can be used in two different ways:

as arguments, to prove an idea

as explanations for non-controversial ideas

There are four types of causes:

A. Formal Causes

Deal with what it is. (identity)

B. Material Causes

Deal with what it is made of. (contents)

C. Efficient Causes

Deal with where it came from. (origins)

D. Final Causes

Deal with where it is going. (destiny)

Efficient and final causes are extrinsic to the effect.  Formal and material causes are intrinsic to the effect.  Some people no longer use efficient and final causes.

Arguments Versus Explanations

Explanations start when something is assumed to be true, then go on to explain it.   The assumed thing may or may not be true.  When people commit the genetic fallacy they give an explanation and treat it like an argument.

There are three meanings of the word because, and they are often misinterpreted:

A. Relation between cause and effect.

B. Relation between premise and conclusion.

C. Relation between motive and physical / mental act.