I am very glad that you have written an essay on types of causation other than efficient cause. I have some thoughts of my own.
1.) It is important to remember that the Neoplatonic philosophers had six types of causation. In addition to the four Aristotlean causes they posited paradigmatic cause and instrumental cause. Instrumental cause is easy enough to comprehend, it is the means or instrument by which a cause brings about effect. Paradigmatic cause is posited in The Timaeus and expounded upon by Proclus. That’s a little harder to comprehend. The oversimplified version is that there a paradigm of resemblances that is prior to forms. That resemblances are crucial for connections of things to another.
2.) I absolutely agree that the purging of formal, paradigmatic, material, instrumental, and final cause does leave us with an impoverished view of nature. That there is more than just efficient cause.
But the flip side is that these notions of more-than-just-efficient cause desperately need to be restored in Christian theology. Especially in apologetics. So that an argument for the existence of God on the basis of first efficient cause will be invalid. So we should instead argue for the existence of God on the basis of first formal cause and first paradigmatic cause. That we should not confuse final cause with the cause and effect of science and engineering.
This, I think, is also crucial for understanding the issue of evolution. In terms of efficient cause one species can and has evolved from one to another. In terms of efficient cause, humans have indeed evolved from apes. In terms of formal cause, however; no, the form of ape does not inhere on a human being. This is also crucial for understanding the creation itself. In terms of material cause, the universe is from nothing. In terms of instrumental cause, it is by God. In terms of formal cause, the creation is from God. In terms of paradigmatic cause, the creation is in God. In terms of final cause, it is to God.
Again, I deeply appreciate that you have brought this up, and I hope that others follow suit.
There is important evidence that indicates that when Earth evolution began, the Physical Body Archetype, first formed on Saturn, and then further developed on Sun, when the Etheric Body was formed, and then further elaborated on Moon, when the Astral Body was formed, stood at the outset of Its fourth formation, or Physical Phantom Body. And, Earth evolution was intending in this direction as outlined here:
So, in the description of the original Seven Days of Creation, described in Genesis 1, we have this Physical Phantom evolving as the Fourth Hierarchy, and wherein Man is deemed Lord of the Earth. Thus, pure spiritual perception was the design of the first seven days of creation. Then, the Lord God comes on the scene, beginning with Genesis 2:4, and everything changes. The "fall of man" occurs at this point, and Earth evolution shifts from a Geocentric model to a Heliocentric model, which is governed by Jahve/Christ ever since. The original design of Physical Phantom as the Fourth Hierarchy becomes sublimated to the 10th Hierarchy, and eventually needing Christ to incarnate on Earth for the redemption of the Resurrection Body (Physical Phantom) through the Mystery of Golgotha. The key is the necessity of the occurrence of the so-called, "Fall of Man", and wherein the dust of the earth becomes the forming agent, and the Lord God breathes life into his nostrils, and he becomes a living soul. Thus, Earth evolution became the evolution of the human soul in further elaborating the physical, etheric, and astral bodies, into Sentient Soul, Intellectual Soul, and Consciousness Soul. This eventually forces the awakening of the "I Am", which Moses had personally experienced, and now becomes the common property of Humanity in this Consciousness Soul Age.
This was super interesting. I have justed posted a short piece on the mystery of the physical form ,or resurrection body of Christ Jesus. The issue being, just what is it? It is the unfallen ideal body of mankind that has overcome death and becomes available once again as a form, an idea, a schemata, a plan that we can use for our own further development. This piece has been wonderfully educational for me and it is just so remarkable that it comes just as I been struggling with this idea in relation to the resurrection body. The piece mentioned is at Col Pal on Facebook or mechanical occultism. Thanks so much . Colin
There is something highly "stagirus" in all of this Max, and especially in Bacon's opposition to Aristotle. Now, when James VI of Scotland became also James I of England, a catalyst was started. James moved to London, and inspired both Bacon and Shakespeare to their respective higher callings. Bacon's Advancement of Learning became "Novum Organum", which formed the thesis for the so-called 'New Atlantis' project, and Shakespeare was inspired to his works on King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, and Othello, all works involving the struggle between good and evil. So, by 1607 came the incentive to explore the New World. So, the real mystery entity is this: Who is this James who became King of all Great Britain in 1603? He grew up being touted as the reincarnation of Solomon himself. Spiritual Science would find this interesting, and investigate it further.
I am very glad that you have written an essay on types of causation other than efficient cause. I have some thoughts of my own.
1.) It is important to remember that the Neoplatonic philosophers had six types of causation. In addition to the four Aristotlean causes they posited paradigmatic cause and instrumental cause. Instrumental cause is easy enough to comprehend, it is the means or instrument by which a cause brings about effect. Paradigmatic cause is posited in The Timaeus and expounded upon by Proclus. That’s a little harder to comprehend. The oversimplified version is that there a paradigm of resemblances that is prior to forms. That resemblances are crucial for connections of things to another.
2.) I absolutely agree that the purging of formal, paradigmatic, material, instrumental, and final cause does leave us with an impoverished view of nature. That there is more than just efficient cause.
But the flip side is that these notions of more-than-just-efficient cause desperately need to be restored in Christian theology. Especially in apologetics. So that an argument for the existence of God on the basis of first efficient cause will be invalid. So we should instead argue for the existence of God on the basis of first formal cause and first paradigmatic cause. That we should not confuse final cause with the cause and effect of science and engineering.
This, I think, is also crucial for understanding the issue of evolution. In terms of efficient cause one species can and has evolved from one to another. In terms of efficient cause, humans have indeed evolved from apes. In terms of formal cause, however; no, the form of ape does not inhere on a human being. This is also crucial for understanding the creation itself. In terms of material cause, the universe is from nothing. In terms of instrumental cause, it is by God. In terms of formal cause, the creation is from God. In terms of paradigmatic cause, the creation is in God. In terms of final cause, it is to God.
Again, I deeply appreciate that you have brought this up, and I hope that others follow suit.
There is important evidence that indicates that when Earth evolution began, the Physical Body Archetype, first formed on Saturn, and then further developed on Sun, when the Etheric Body was formed, and then further elaborated on Moon, when the Astral Body was formed, stood at the outset of Its fourth formation, or Physical Phantom Body. And, Earth evolution was intending in this direction as outlined here:
https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA233a/English/RSP1965/19240111p01.html
So, in the description of the original Seven Days of Creation, described in Genesis 1, we have this Physical Phantom evolving as the Fourth Hierarchy, and wherein Man is deemed Lord of the Earth. Thus, pure spiritual perception was the design of the first seven days of creation. Then, the Lord God comes on the scene, beginning with Genesis 2:4, and everything changes. The "fall of man" occurs at this point, and Earth evolution shifts from a Geocentric model to a Heliocentric model, which is governed by Jahve/Christ ever since. The original design of Physical Phantom as the Fourth Hierarchy becomes sublimated to the 10th Hierarchy, and eventually needing Christ to incarnate on Earth for the redemption of the Resurrection Body (Physical Phantom) through the Mystery of Golgotha. The key is the necessity of the occurrence of the so-called, "Fall of Man", and wherein the dust of the earth becomes the forming agent, and the Lord God breathes life into his nostrils, and he becomes a living soul. Thus, Earth evolution became the evolution of the human soul in further elaborating the physical, etheric, and astral bodies, into Sentient Soul, Intellectual Soul, and Consciousness Soul. This eventually forces the awakening of the "I Am", which Moses had personally experienced, and now becomes the common property of Humanity in this Consciousness Soul Age.
This was super interesting. I have justed posted a short piece on the mystery of the physical form ,or resurrection body of Christ Jesus. The issue being, just what is it? It is the unfallen ideal body of mankind that has overcome death and becomes available once again as a form, an idea, a schemata, a plan that we can use for our own further development. This piece has been wonderfully educational for me and it is just so remarkable that it comes just as I been struggling with this idea in relation to the resurrection body. The piece mentioned is at Col Pal on Facebook or mechanical occultism. Thanks so much . Colin
Have you ever read Douglas Harding? I’m a reading his book Hierarchy of Heaven and Earth at the moment. https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Douglas-Harding/dp/1908774835
There is something highly "stagirus" in all of this Max, and especially in Bacon's opposition to Aristotle. Now, when James VI of Scotland became also James I of England, a catalyst was started. James moved to London, and inspired both Bacon and Shakespeare to their respective higher callings. Bacon's Advancement of Learning became "Novum Organum", which formed the thesis for the so-called 'New Atlantis' project, and Shakespeare was inspired to his works on King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, and Othello, all works involving the struggle between good and evil. So, by 1607 came the incentive to explore the New World. So, the real mystery entity is this: Who is this James who became King of all Great Britain in 1603? He grew up being touted as the reincarnation of Solomon himself. Spiritual Science would find this interesting, and investigate it further.