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Full Idea
A substance is a basic being, something at reality's foundation. What exactly this means is a matter of some controversy. Some philosophers think of substance as an ultimate subject, something that has properties but isn't a property.
Gist of Idea
A substance is, roughly, a basic being or subject at the foundation of reality
Source
David Robb (Substance [2009], 'Intro')
Book Ref
'Routledge Companion to Metaphysics', ed/tr. Le Poidevin/Simons etc [Routledge 2012], p.256
A Reaction
This seems to capture the place of 'substance' in contemporary metaphysics. I think of 'substance' as a placeholder for some threatened account, even in Aristotle.
15392 | If an object survives the loss of a part, complex objects can have autonomy over their parts [Robb] |
15391 | A substance is, roughly, a basic being or subject at the foundation of reality [Robb] |