ARISTOTLE’S ANALOGY OF ENTELECHY
Aristotle was a great philosopher who was mostly interested in understanding the nature of matter and all things in general. More so, he was involved in determining how specific pieces or parts of matter existed as they are. Consequently, he came up with various philosophical theories on the concept. One of which is Entelechy, which may be defined as that thing which actualizes what is merely potential giving matter form. Notably, the idea is affiliated to Aristotle’s distinction of form and matter, where Aristotle argues that matter needs a particular function or essence to be complete. He mentions that form and matter cannot be separated but can only be distinguished. For instance, in the case of a living organism, the inner activity of the organism can be distinguished from its sheer matter without which it could not qualify to be a living organism. Thus, Aristotle describes this “vital function” or “soul” as the entelechy of the living organism. In other words, rational actions are what distinguishes man from other brute animals.
Most interestingly, Aristotle argued that there had to be several causes for something to exist. As a result, he came up with the four causes that included the material cause, formal cause, efficiency cause, and the final cause. According to Aristotle, “The Material Cause” represented the substance that makes up something. For instance, how a car is made up of wheels, metal, and glass. On the other hand, he described “The Formal Cause” as that thing that gives matter form. For instance, a car is not merely made up of wheels, metal, and glass, but rather these elements are arranged in a specific way allowing the car to work. Separately, Aristotle defined “The Efficient Cause” as the main reason for the existence of anything. For instance, a car exists because someone had the idea to make one assemble various parts and make it operational. Nonetheless, Aristotle defines “The Final Cause” as the primary reason why something seems to be the way it is describing its functions. In the case of the car, it will seek to answer the question, why does the vehicle have wheels and metal and why are they arranged they are? This is because the car is meant to move at fast speeds. Overall, the four causes try to define the various reasons for the existence of matter.
Notably, entelechy can be applied in my personal life in various ways. First, it helps me distinguish between what body is made of, my physical appearance, and how I can see, talk, walk, and perform various tasks. Also, it helps me to interrogate the main reason for my existence, by provoking questions such as, was I created? Who created me? Why was I created? Undoubtedly, these are fundamental questions that attempt to enlighten one about himself or herself? On the other hand, it allows me to determine my primary purpose in life, by struggling to answer questions like, what is the primary function for my existence?
Nevertheless, Aristotle’s four causes can be utilized by nurses to improve their effectiveness in providing healthcare services. More so, it helps nurses understand patient in a more profound sense. Most importantly, nurses can serve patients by not only looking at the patient’s appearance but by looking at the pieces that make them whole, how the body function, understand patients reason to live and what drives them. Consequently, nurses can take care of patients better since they understand them deeply. This can be quite effective in improving the effectiveness of treatment and healthcare as nurses can build relationships with patients, allowing them to offer better care.
References
Couloubaritsis, L. (2018). The Complex Organization of Aristotle’s Thought. Aristotle-Contemporary Perspectives on his Thought: On the 2400th Anniversary of Aristotle’s Birth, 257.