Causa efficiens

The causa efficiens (effective cause) is the Latin term for the Aristotelian cause of movement (also called effective cause , Greek κίνησις / kinesis). It is one of four causes in the natural philosophy of Aristotle ; it is an external cause, namely "the source in which the change or the calm originates". So the causa efficiens causes something to be created. So the hammering of the blacksmith on the bronze is one of the operative causes that create the bronze statue. The blacksmith himself can also be called causa efficiens.

According to Aristotle, there are four causes in total . The three other (additional) causes are:

• causa materialis (cause of matter)
• causa formalis ( formal cause)
• causa finalis (final cause)