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Single Idea 13276

[filed under theme 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / a. Hylomorphism ]

Full Idea

Aristotle's discussion of the unmoved mover and of the soul confirms the suspicion that form, when it is not thought of as the object represented in a definition, plays the role of the ultimate mereological atom within his system.

Clarification

'Mereology' concerns how parts make up wholes

Gist of Idea

The unmoved mover and the soul show Aristotelian form as the ultimate mereological atom

Source

report of Aristotle (works [c.330 BCE]) by Kathrin Koslicki - The Structure of Objects 6.6

Book Ref

Koslicki,Kathrin: 'The Structure of Objects' [OUP 2008], p.162

A Reaction

Aristotle is concerned with which things are 'divisible', and he cites these two examples as indivisible, but they may be too unusual to offer an actual theory of how Aristotle builds up wholes from atoms. He denies atoms in matter.

The 25 ideas from 'works'

19693 There is practical wisdom (for action), and theoretical wisdom (for deep understanding) [Aristotle, by Whitcomb]
1589 Aristotle is the supreme optimist about the ability of logos to explain nature [Roochnik on Aristotle]
1575 For Aristotle logos is essentially the ability to talk rationally about questions of value [Roochnik on Aristotle]
8200 Aristotelian definitions aim to give the essential properties of the thing defined [Aristotle, by Quine]
4385 Aristotelian definition involves first stating the genus, then the differentia of the thing [Aristotle, by Urmson]
13282 Aristotle relativises the notion of wholeness to different measures [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
4730 For Aristotle, the subject-predicate structure of Greek reflected a substance-accident structure of reality [Aristotle, by O'Grady]
3320 Aristotle's standard analysis of species and genus involves specifying things in terms of something more general [Aristotle, by Benardete,JA]
13276 The unmoved mover and the soul show Aristotelian form as the ultimate mereological atom [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
13277 The 'form' is the recipe for building wholes of a particular kind [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
11240 The notion of analytic truth is absent in Aristotle [Aristotle, by Politis]
5991 For Aristotle, knowledge is of causes, and is theoretical, practical or productive [Aristotle, by Code]
11239 The notion of a priori truth is absent in Aristotle [Aristotle, by Politis]
23312 Aristotle is a rationalist, but reason is slowly acquired through perception and experience [Aristotle, by Frede,M]
16111 Aristotle wants to fit common intuitions, and therefore uses language as a guide [Aristotle, by Gill,ML]
11243 Aristotelian explanations are facts, while modern explanations depend on human conceptions [Aristotle, by Politis]
12000 Aristotle regularly says that essential properties explain other significant properties [Aristotle, by Kung]
23300 Aristotle and the Stoics denied rationality to animals, while Platonists affirmed it [Aristotle, by Sorabji]
6559 Aristotle never actually says that man is a rational animal [Aristotle, by Fogelin]
3037 Aristotle said the educated were superior to the uneducated as the living are to the dead [Aristotle, by Diog. Laertius]
11150 It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without accepting it [Aristotle]
12058 Aristotle's matter can become any other kind of matter [Aristotle, by Wiggins]
8660 There are potential infinities (never running out), but actual infinity is incoherent [Aristotle, by Friend]
16971 Plato says sciences are unified around Forms; Aristotle says they're unified around substance [Aristotle, by Moravcsik]
22729 The concepts of gods arose from observing the soul, and the cosmos [Aristotle, by Sext.Empiricus]