ABSTRACT
Causality is a difficult concept, but one which needs to be considered carefully as it has significant practical applications in the sciences as well as in business. One of the earliest analyses of causality was by Aristotle, when he described four causes or four different aspects of cause as material, efficient, formal and final. During the seventeenth century efficient cause gained predominance, which led to much of science and economics adopting a mono-causal approach. In the last half century many scholars have began to re-examine the notion of causality. In the natural and social sciences, complexity theory has also contributed a fresh perspective. This chapter will explore that perspective and will attempt to link the Aristotelian concept to current discussions on causality in complexity theory.
