Primum movens (Latin), usually referred to as the Prime mover or first cause in English, is a term used in the philosophy of Aristotle, in the theological cosmological argument for the existence of God, and in cosmogony, the source of the cosmos or "all-being".

Aristotle's ontology[link]

In book 12 of his Metaphysics, Aristotle used the phrase τι ὃ οὐ κινούμενον κινεῖ ("something which moves [other things] without [itself] being moved [by anything]")^[1] -- i.e., the unmoved mover. When applied in his physics, this led to the view that all natural motions are uncaused and therefore self-explanatory.^[2] Causality is linear^[ambiguous], so causality or motion must be finally attributed to a first cause, which logically cannot itself be moved, i.e. the unmoved mover. To Aristotle the first cause is energy or energeia (in Greek) or actus (in Latin): energy causes motion. This is the foundation for the theory of actualism, a non-idealist philosophy of nature, science, logic, and mathematics.^[3] Aristotle's actualistic ontology is a denial of "potential ontology" - that Being is the first cause of the cosmos.

See also[link]

• Actus et potentia
• Causa sui
• Syllogism
• Hypotheses non fingo

References[link]

1. ^ Aristotle. Metaphysics. 1072a ff.. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0051:book=12:section=1072a. 
2. ^ Zev Bechler, Aristotle's Theory of Actuality, State University of New York Press (August 1995) Language: English ISBN 0-7914-2240-2 ISBN 978-0791422403 [1]
3. ^ Zev Bechler, Aristotle's Theory of Actuality, State University of New York Press (August 1995) Language: English ISBN 0-7914-2240-2 ISBN 978-0791422403 [2]

Bibliography[link]

• Louis Pasteur, cf. f. i. René Dubos, "Louis Pasteur - Free Lance of Science", 1986, s. pg. 113
• Andreä, Die chymische Hochzeit. Christiani Rosenkreutz", 1616