Prufrock
Arbitrary Moderation
Since Reformed theology makes use of many Aristotelian terms and categories in its quest for precision, it has been suggested that a small collection of terms with brief definitions might be helpful for reference. The following will serve as a quick start:
1. Final Cause -- "the end; that for the sake of which a thing is." Aristotle provides the example that health is thus the cause of walking, i.e., it is the cause for which one does the act. Or, in Christian terms, the glory of God is the final cause of God's salvific acts.
2. Efficient Cause -- "that from which the change, or the resting from change first begins." The sculptor is thus the cause of the bronze statue; or the Christ making satisfaction is the efficient cause of our justification.
3. Formal Cause -- "the form or pattern, i.e, the definition of the essence." Therefore, the shape of the above statue is its cause.
4. Material Cause -- "that from which, as immanent material, a thing comes into being." Thus, bronze is the cause of a statue; or, alternatively, the word of God is the material cause of faith.
5. The distinction between equivocal and univocal terms is important:
1. Final Cause -- "the end; that for the sake of which a thing is." Aristotle provides the example that health is thus the cause of walking, i.e., it is the cause for which one does the act. Or, in Christian terms, the glory of God is the final cause of God's salvific acts.
2. Efficient Cause -- "that from which the change, or the resting from change first begins." The sculptor is thus the cause of the bronze statue; or the Christ making satisfaction is the efficient cause of our justification.
3. Formal Cause -- "the form or pattern, i.e, the definition of the essence." Therefore, the shape of the above statue is its cause.
4. Material Cause -- "that from which, as immanent material, a thing comes into being." Thus, bronze is the cause of a statue; or, alternatively, the word of God is the material cause of faith.
5. The distinction between equivocal and univocal terms is important:
- Things are named equivocally when, "though they have a common name, the definition corresponding to the name differs for each." Aristotle uses the example of a real man and a figure in a picture -- both can be termed animal, though the corresponding definitions of each will differ.
- Things are denominated univocally when they "have both the name and the definition answering to the name in common." Thus, he claims that both an ox and a man are called animal, and the definition of the term is the same respecting both.