In which Aristotle explained how an Unmoved Mover could cause motion of the world and everything in it by comparing it to a beloved who "moves" its lover by the power of attraction. The object of love is the cause of a change in the lover, without itself being changed. Similarly, God is the object of the aspirations of other substances but is not Himself susceptible to change or motion
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The passage you are referring to is found in Aristotle's work called "Metaphysics." In Book XII of Metaphysics, Aristotle discusses the concept of the Unmoved Mover, which he presents as the ultimate cause of motion and change in the world.
Aristotle uses the analogy of a beloved and lover to explain how the Unmoved Mover can cause motion without being changed itself. According to Aristotle, just as a beloved can move the lover through the power of attraction without undergoing any change itself, the Unmoved Mover can similarly cause motion in the world and everything in it without undergoing any change or motion itself.
In this analogy, Aristotle emphasizes that the Unmoved Mover is the ultimate object of aspiration and desire for all other substances. It is the highest and most perfect being that serves as the source of motion and change in the universe. While everything else in the world is subject to change and motion, the Unmoved Mover remains unchanged and unaffected.
Aristotle's concept of the Unmoved Mover is closely related to his teleological view of the universe, where everything in nature has a purpose or goal. The Unmoved Mover, as the final cause, attracts all things toward their ultimate purpose or perfection.
It is important to note that Aristotle's ideas on the Unmoved Mover and his teleological view of the world have been subject to various interpretations and criticisms throughout history. However, his comparison of the Unmoved Mover to a beloved who moves its lover without being changed remains a notable analogy used to explain the concept.
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Answer:
Aristotle's explanation of the Unmoved Mover can be found in his work called the "Metaphysics." In Book XII of the "Metaphysics," Aristotle presents his concept of the Unmoved Mover as the ultimate cause of all motion and change in the world.
According to Aristotle, the Unmoved Mover is a purely actual and immaterial entity that exists outside the physical realm. It is perfect and unchanging, and it serves as the final cause or purpose of all things. The Unmoved Mover is not subject to change or motion itself but is responsible for initiating motion in other things.
To illustrate this concept, Aristotle uses the analogy of a beloved and a lover. He suggests that just as a beloved can "move" its lover by the power of attraction without undergoing any change itself, the Unmoved Mover similarly causes motion and change in the world without being affected by it.
In this analogy, the lover is the aspiring or desiring entity, while the beloved is the object of its aspirations. The lover is moved or changed by its love for the beloved, but the beloved itself remains unchanged and unmoved. Similarly, other substances in the world aspire toward the perfection and purpose represented by the Unmoved Mover, and their aspirations and desires are what cause motion and change. However, the Unmoved Mover itself remains unchanging and unaffected.
Aristotle's concept of the Unmoved Mover is a key element in his teleological view of the universe, which emphasizes the existence of purpose and final causes. The Unmoved Mover acts as the ultimate goal or destination toward which all things strive, providing an explanation for the order and regularity observed in the natural world.