Primum movens
Encyclopedia
Primum movens usually referred to as the Prime mover or first cause in English, is a term used in the philosophy
of Aristotle
, in the theological
cosmological argument
for the existence of God, and in cosmogony
, the source of the cosmos
or "all-being".
, Aristotle
used the phrase ("something which moves [other things] without [itself] being moved [by anything]") -- i.e., the unmoved mover
. When applied in his physics, this led to the view that all natural motions are uncaused and therefore self-explanatory. Causality
is linear, so causality or motion must be finally attributed to a first cause, which logically cannot itself be moved, i.e. the unmoved mover. To Aristotle the first cause is energy or energeia (in Greek) or actus
(in Latin): energy causes motion. This is the foundation for the theory of actualism
, a non-idealist philosophy of nature, science, logic, and mathematics. Aristotle's actualistic ontology
is a denial of "potential ontology" - that Being is the first cause of the cosmos.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, in the theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
cosmological argument
Cosmological argument
The cosmological argument is an argument for the existence of a First Cause to the universe, and by extension is often used as an argument for the existence of an "unconditioned" or "supreme" being, usually then identified as God...
for the existence of God, and in cosmogony
Cosmogony
Cosmogony, or cosmogeny, is any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe, or about how reality came to be. The word comes from the Greek κοσμογονία , from κόσμος "cosmos, the world", and the root of γίνομαι / γέγονα "to be born, come about"...
, the source of the cosmos
Cosmos
In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
or "all-being".
Aristotle's ontology
In book 12 of his MetaphysicsMetaphysics (Aristotle)
Metaphysics is one of the principal works of Aristotle and the first major work of the branch of philosophy with the same name. The principal subject is "being qua being", or being understood as being. It examines what can be asserted about anything that exists just because of its existence and...
, Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
used the phrase ("something which moves [other things] without [itself] being moved [by anything]") -- i.e., the unmoved mover
Unmoved mover
The unmoved mover is a philosophical concept described by Aristotle as a primary cause or "mover" of all the motion in the universe. As is implicit in the name, the "unmoved mover" is not moved by any prior action...
. When applied in his physics, this led to the view that all natural motions are uncaused and therefore self-explanatory. Causality
Causality
Causality is the relationship between an event and a second event , where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first....
is linear, so causality or motion must be finally attributed to a first cause, which logically cannot itself be moved, i.e. the unmoved mover. To Aristotle the first cause is energy or energeia (in Greek) or actus
Actus
Actus can refer to the following:* An ancient Roman unit of length* Actus purus, a term employed in scholastic philosophy to express the absolute perfection of God....
(in Latin): energy causes motion. This is the foundation for the theory of actualism
Actualism
In contemporary analytic philosophy, actualism is a position on the ontological status of possible worlds that holds that everything that exists is actual. Another phrasing of the thesis is that the domain of unrestricted quantification ranges over all and only actual existents...
, a non-idealist philosophy of nature, science, logic, and mathematics. Aristotle's actualistic ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
is a denial of "potential ontology" - that Being is the first cause of the cosmos.