Quote by C.S. Lewis
It was obvious to Aristotle that most things which move do so because some other moving object impels them. A hand, itself in motion, moves a sword; a wind, itself in motion, moves a ship. But it was also fundamental to his thought that no infinite series can be actual. We cannot therefore go on explaining one movement by another . There must be in the last resort something which, motionless itself, initiates the motion of all other things. Such a Prime Mover he finds in the wholly transcendent and immaterial God who 'occupies no place and is not affected by time'. But we must not imagine Him moving things by any positive action, for that would be to attribute some kind of motion to Himself and we should then not have reached an utterly unmoving Mover. How then does He move things? Aristotle answers [Greek here], 'He moves as beloved'. He moves other things, that is, as an object of desire moves those who desire it. The is moved by its love for God, and being moved, communicates motion to the rest of the universe. [ch.V.c]
Summary
In this quote, Aristotle discusses the concept of a Prime Mover, a motionless and transcendent God who initiates the motion of all other things. According to Aristotle, no infinite series of explanations can be actual, so there must be a ultimate source of motion. However, this Prime Mover does not move things through any positive action but rather as beloved. This means that other things are moved by their love and desire for God. The idea is that the love and desire for God create motion and result in the communication of motion to the rest of the universe.
Topics
God
By C.S. Lewis
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