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Single Idea 10942

[filed under theme 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 7. Substratum ]

Full Idea

If you extract all other features of the object, what is revealed as being left over?

Gist of Idea

If you extract all features of the object, what is left over?

Source

Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1029a10)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Metaphysics', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,Hugh [Penguin 1998], p.175


A Reaction

This seems to be the key question in matters of identity, which leads us to talk of substrata, or essences, or substance, none of which seem graspable.


The 22 ideas with the same theme [an object's underlying aspect, apart from surface features]:

It is unclear whether Aristotle believes in a propertyless subject, his 'ultimate matter' [Aristotle, by Lawson-Tancred]
If you extract all features of the object, what is left over? [Aristotle]
Something must pre-exist any new production [Aristotle]
A substrate is either a 'this' supporting qualities, or 'matter' supporting actuality [Aristotle]
A subject can't be nothing, so it must qualify as separate, and as having a distinct identity [Aristotle, by Gill,ML]
If we remove surface qualities from wax, we have an extended, flexible, changeable thing [Descartes]
Complex ideas are collections of qualities we attach to an unknown substratum [Locke]
A 'substratum' is just a metaphor for whatever supports several predicates [Leibniz]
A peach is sweet and fuzzy, but it doesn't 'have' those qualities [Chisholm]
I favour the idea of a substratum for properties; spacetime seems to be just a bearer of properties [Martin,CB]
The notorious substratum results from substance-with-qualities; individuals-with-powers solves this [Harré/Madden]
Models nicely separate particulars from their clothing, and logicians often accept that metaphysically [Kaplan]
For the bare particular view, properties must be features, not just groups of objects [Stalnaker]
Possible worlds allow separating all the properties, without hitting a bare particular [Stalnaker]
A substance is either a bundle of properties, or a bare substratum, or an essence [Macdonald,C]
Each substance contains a non-property, which is its substratum or bare particular [Macdonald,C]
The substratum theory explains the unity of substances, and their survival through change [Macdonald,C]
A substratum has the quality of being bare, and they are useless because indiscernible [Macdonald,C]
If a substrate gives causal support for change, quite a lot of the ingredients must endure [Pasnau]
There may be different types of substrate, or temporary substrates [Pasnau]
A substrate may be 'prime matter', which endures through every change [Pasnau]
A substratum can't be 'bare', because it has a job to do [Pasnau]