Single Idea 21345

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 1. Nature of Relations]

Full Idea

Aristotle categorised relations as accidents - Socrates's whiteness, the sphericity of this ball - entities dependent on substances. Relations are not substances, so they must be, if anything at all, accidents.

Clarification

'Accidents' are non-essential features of things

Gist of Idea

Aristotle said relations are not substances, so (if they exist) they must be accidents

Source

report of Aristotle (Categories [c.331 BCE], §7) by John Heil - Relations 'Historical'

Book Reference

'Routledge Companion to Metaphysics', ed/tr. Le Poidevin/Simons etc [Routledge 2012], p.312


A Reaction

Heil says this thought encouraged anti-realist views of relations, which became the norm until Russell.