Causal Powers in Aristotle and his Predecessors

Marmodoro, A

Abstract

This chapter introduces the reader to Aristotle’s account of causal powers and highlights the conceptual innovations he introduced in relation to the accounts of his predecessors, most notably Anaxagoras and Plato. The chapter argues that Aristotle’s predecessors had a distinctive account of powers, different from Aristotle’s in that their powers exist as always exercising and not interacting with each other. Aristotle famously introduces the distinction between being in potentiality and being in actuality, and between active and passive powers; and provides a definition of powers that has remained mainstream in current philosophy too.

Citation

Marmodoro, A. (2021). Causal Powers in Aristotle and his Predecessors. In J. Jorati (Ed.), Powers: A History (10-27). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190925512.003.0002

• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2022
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Pages: 10-27
• Book Title: Powers: A History
• Chapter Number: 1
• ISBN: 9780190925550,9780190925512
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190925512.003.0002