A complete explanation

Who, what, when, where – journalists repeat these adverbial questions to find key factors that explain things. That and the four explanatory factors or “causes” of Aristotle are needed to cover all aspects of a complete explanation.

Consider Aristotle’s example of a statue:

The material factor is what it is made from, “that out of which” it is made, e.g., the bronze of a statue.

The formal factor is the form/design that makes it what it is (“what-it-is-to-be”), e.g., the shape of a statue.

The efficient/mechanism factor is what makes it, “the primary source of the change (or rest)”, e.g., the art of bronze-casting the statue.

The final factor: the end/purpose, what is it made for, “that for the sake of which a thing is done”, e.g., beauty as the end of art, health as the end of walking.

There are also adverbial questions to complete the explanation:

The who factor: who made the statue?

The what factor: what is it? A statue.

The when factor: when was it made?

The where factor: where was it made?

All eight of these factor are necessary for a complete explanation.

Modern natural science looks at the efficient/mechanism factors, the material factors, the what, when and where factors. The who, why, and formal factors are excluded. Thus every explanation of modern natural science is incomplete – and so should be treated as input for others to complete them, which could include changing the partial explanations of science if necessary.

Addendum: There are also what might be called causal metafactors. These come after the causal factor and ask, Why? Alternatives likely exist for each factor. Why was this material selected? Why was this mechanism/force used? Why was this design used? Why was this goal sought?