Author Archives: robkoons

Some New Arguments for a First Cause

I’m going to start a new series of posts in which I present some of my most recent thoughts on the classic First Cause arguments. In this post, I will lay out some explications and definitions for some key terms that will appear in my arguments. Some of the terms are so fundamental that theyContinue reading “Some New Arguments for a First Cause”

From Quantum Entanglement to a Cosmic Substance?

Non-Locality: Action vs. Influence at a Distance It is true that, as Bell’s theorem demonstrated, quantum theory is deeply committed to superluminal influence or coordination. But we have to distinguish between violations of Parameter Independence and violations of Outcome Independence (to use Abner Shimony’s distinction, Shimony 1984). Mere violations of Outcome Independence require only aContinue reading “From Quantum Entanglement to a Cosmic Substance?”

Persistence of Material Parts Through Substantial Change

Here’s a problem that I’ve wrestled with for years: do the material parts (not just at the level of prime matter) of a substance survive through substantial change? For example, suppose a bit of watery fluid is extracted from my eye and placed on a microscope slide. Call the bit of watery stuff W. WhenContinue reading “Persistence of Material Parts Through Substantial Change”

Hylomorphism and Mereology

Some questions and thoughts about hylomorphism and mereology (parts and wholes). Is the substance the sum of its material parts? In some sense, yes, and in some sense, no? The sum of my prime material parts exists as a potentiality, even in the absence of me and my substantial form. That sum does not haveContinue reading “Hylomorphism and Mereology”

Defining Integralism

I take integralism to be essentially a political philosophy that advocates the integration of the political with the spiritual or transcendent dimension of human life. Although this has been a term used exclusively within Catholic political thought, I would argue that we can and should define it in such a way that Catholic integralism isContinue reading “Defining Integralism”

Core Commitments of Hylomorphism

Substantiality. The material universe contains substances, fragments (proper parts) of substances, and heaps of substances and fragments. Substances are more fundamental than fragments and heaps in three respects: (i) identity, (ii) existence, and (iii) nature. This rules out what I have called “faint-hearted hylomorphism,” along with any kind of microphysicalism. Hylomorphic composition goes all theContinue reading “Core Commitments of Hylomorphism”

Hylomorphism: An Overview

Hylomorphism is a research programme in metaphysics and philosophy of nature that has been undergoing a revival in recent years. The core ideas of the programme were developed by Aristotle, including the terms hylos (matter) and morphe (form). The programme has been under almost continuous development ever since, with major contributions by Simplicius, Plotinus, Avicenna,Continue reading “Hylomorphism: An Overview”

In Search of the Uncausable

Thomas draws on a key insight from Plotinus: an uncausable entity must not just be simple—the fact of its existence must also be simple. Any compounding of elements in this fact creates the potentiality for causation. For something to be uncausable in the relevant sense, there must be a metaphysical explanation for its lack ofContinue reading “In Search of the Uncausable”

Six Accounts of Actuality: Taking Stock

In earlier posts I have set out a range of solutions to the problem of accounting for the nature of actual existence: possibilism, actualism, and theories of predication. In this post, I would like to take stock. We have a total of six viable solutions to the problem of actuality, compatible with a broadly AristotelianContinue reading “Six Accounts of Actuality: Taking Stock”