Category Archives: Prime Matter

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”

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”

God’s Identity with His Essence

Thomas explicitly asserts that God is numerically identical to His essence. God does not have divinity as His nature: He is His own divinity. As we have seen, God is not an abstract object, a post rem property, or a universal. So, what could it mean to say that God is identical to His essenceContinue reading “God’s Identity with His Essence”

Four Arguments for Persisting Prime Matter

Here are four arguments in support of my “master argument” for prime matter. Imagine a world consisting of a single perfectly spherical and continuous substance. It will have infinitely many parts – e.g., an uncountable infinity of hemispheres. Each hemisphere will instantiate the very same species of quantitative accident (i.e., size and shape). If weContinue reading “Four Arguments for Persisting Prime Matter”

Master Argument for Prime Matter

[1] A prime material is the same thing as what I’ve called a bit or parcel of prime matter. [2] It might be even simpler to postulate that each prime material bears numerically the same quantitative accident through all changes, but hylomorphists can’t go this far. When a prime material undergoes substantial change across species,Continue reading “Master Argument for Prime Matter”