FINAL CAUSE. By Professor R. L. DABNEY, D.D., LL.D. 

 (Texas University). 



OF the four " causes/' or necessary conditions of every new 

 effect, taught by Aristotelians, the last was the " Final 

 Cause/' TO reXoe, or TO ou evt ica ; " that for the sake of which " 

 this effect was produced. This result, for the sake of which 

 the effect has been produced, is termed " final," because it is 

 of the nature of a designed end ; and " cause/' in that it has 

 obviously influenced the form or shape given to the result, 

 and the selection of materials and physical causes employed. 

 Final cause thus always involves a judgment adapting means 

 to an end, and implies the agency of some rational Agent. 



2. The question: Do any of the structures of Nature evince 

 final cause ? is the same with the question : Is the " teleo- 

 logical argument " valid to prove the being of a personal and 

 rational Creator ? The essence of that argument is to infer 

 that, wherever Nature presents us with structures, and 

 especially organs adapted to natural ends, there has been 

 contrivance, and also choice of the physical means so adapted. 

 But contrivance and choice are functions of thought and will, 

 such as are performed only by some rational person And so, 



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