What is the Prime Mover in Aristotle's philosophy?

In Aristotle's philosophy, the Prime Mover is identified as a perfect being responsible for all motion. This concept is central to Aristotle’s metaphysics and his understanding of causality. The Prime Mover is an essential first cause of everything that exists and moves but does not itself change or move; it is unchanging and exists necessarily. Aristotle argues that everything in the universe is in a state of potentiality, and something must actualize that potentiality. The Prime Mover does this by being the ultimate cause that imparts motion to other entities, inspiring them to move toward their own ends.

Aristotle employs the notion of the Prime Mover to explain why there is motion and change in the world, asserting that all motion must originate from something that is in a state of pure actuality. Unlike a creator who intervenes in the world, the Prime Mover does not engage in direct activity or manipulation; instead, it serves as an object of desire that all things strive towards. This understanding positions the Prime Mover as a metaphysical necessity rather than an active force that interferes with the laws of nature. Thus, the description of the Prime Mover as a perfect being responsible for all motion captures its role in Aristotle’s framework accurately.