Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Hermarchus, Albertus Magnus and Mary Louise Gill

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6 ideas

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / a. Hylomorphism

16756	Substantial forms must exist, to explain the stability of metals like silver and tin [Albertus Magnus]
	Full Idea: There is no reason why the matter in any natural thing should be stable in its nature, if it is not completed by a substantial form. But we see that silver is stable, and tin and other metals. Therefore they will seem to be perfected by substantial forms.
	From: Albertus Magnus (On Minerals [1260], III.1.7), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 24.2
	A reaction: Illuminating. This may be the best reason for proposing substantial forms. Once materialism arrives, the so-called 'laws' of nature have to be imposed on the material to do the job - but what the hell is a law supposed to be?

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 3. Matter of an Object

16083	Aristotelian matter seriously threatens the intrinsic unity and substantiality of its object [Gill,ML]
	Full Idea: On the interpretation of Aristotelian matter that I shall propose, matter seriously threatens the intrinsic unity, and hence the substantiality, of the object to which it contributes.
	From: Mary Louise Gill (Aristotle on Substance [1989], Intro)
	A reaction: Presumably the thought is that if an object is form+matter (hylomorphism), then forms are essentially unified, but matter is essentially unified and sloppy.

12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 2. Qualities in Perception / c. Primary qualities

16718	Primary qualities are the cause of all the other sensible qualities [Albertus Magnus]
	Full Idea: The primary qualities of tangible things are the cause of all the other sensible qualities.
	From: Albertus Magnus (On 'Generation and Corruption' [1261], II.1.1), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 21.2
	A reaction: This makes the primary qualities sound suspiciously like the essence.

25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 6. Animal Rights

6005	Animals are dangerous and nourishing, and can't form contracts of justice [Hermarchus, by Sedley]
	Full Idea: Hermarchus said that animal killing is justified by considerations of human safety and nourishment and by animals' inability to form contractual relations of justice with us.
	From: report of Hermarchus (fragments/reports [c.270 BCE]) by David A. Sedley - Hermarchus
	A reaction: Could the last argument be used to justify torturing animals? Or could we eat a human who was too brain-damaged to form contracts?

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / b. Prime matter

17006	Prime matter has no place in Aristotle's theories, and passages claiming it are misread [Gill,ML]
	Full Idea: I argue that prime matter has no place in Aristotle's elemental theory. ..References to prime matter are found in Aristotle's work because his theory was thought to need the doctrine. If I am right, these passages will all admit of another interpretation.
	From: Mary Louise Gill (Aristotle on Substance [1989], App)
	A reaction: If correct, this strikes me as important for the history of ideas, because scholastics got themselves in a right tangle over prime matter. See Pasnau on it. It pushed the 17th century into corpuscularianism.

16093	Prime matter is actually nothing and potentially everything (or potentially an element) [Gill,ML]
	Full Idea: Prime matter is supposed to be actually nothing and potentially everything or, at any rate, potentially the simplest bodies - earth, water, air and fire.
	From: Mary Louise Gill (Aristotle on Substance [1989], Ch.1)
	A reaction: The view that the four elements turn out to be prime matter is distinctive of Gill's approach. Prime matter sounds like quark soup in the early universe.