Single Idea 9806

[catalogued under 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / a. Parts of objects]

Full Idea

Whatever is made up of parts is made up of parts of those parts.

Gist of Idea

Whatever is made up of parts is made up of parts of those parts

Source

John Stuart Mill (System of Logic [1843], 3.24.5)

Book Reference

Mill,John Stuart: 'System of Logic (9th ed, 2 vols)' [Longmans, Green etc 1875], p.153


A Reaction

Mill considers this principle to be fundamental to the possibilities of arithmetic. Presumably he thought of it as an inductive inference from our dealings with physical objects.