Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / Would this make it possible for the first mover to be material?

**Posted by RomanJoe** 5/11/2017 3:36 am

I think there undoubtedly needs to be a first mover whose causal efficacy is pure act--that is, non-derivative. But I still am having difficulty seeing how one can show the first mover is pure act. Because of this, I'm wondering, could the first mover just be something material then? If the first mover isn't pure act but rather has purely actual causal power, could it just be something material, something in space-time?

**Posted by Dennis** 5/11/2017 3:42 am

If space is an actual thing, then it would need actualizing. Something is material if and only if it has prime matter as its substrate. Suppose the Prime mover is a hylomorphic compound of prime matter and substantial form, then its existence would need some sort of actualization.