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Single Idea 15858

[filed under theme 7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 1. Nature of Change ]

Full Idea

Earth, air, fire and water, viewed as elements, are, by tradition, the leading candidates for being the things that persist through change.

Gist of Idea

Traditionally, the four elements are just what persists through change

Source

Verity Harte (Plato on Parts and Wholes [2002], 4.4)

Book Ref

Harte,Verity: 'Plato on Parts and Wholes' [OUP 2002], p.252

A Reaction

Physics still offers us things that persist through change, as conservation laws.

The 7 ideas from 'Plato on Parts and Wholes'

15838 The problem with the term 'sum' is that it is singular [Harte,V]
15837 What exactly is a 'sum', and what exactly is 'composition'? [Harte,V]
15839 If something is 'more than' the sum of its parts, is the extra thing another part, or not? [Harte,V]
15841 Mereology began as a nominalist revolt against the commitments of set theory [Harte,V]
15842 An ad hominem refutation is reasonable, if it uses the opponent's assumptions [Harte,V]
15848 Mereology treats constitution as a criterion of identity, as shown in the axiom of extensionality [Harte,V]
15858 Traditionally, the four elements are just what persists through change [Harte,V]