more on this theme     |     more from this text

Single Idea 16664

[filed under theme 7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 2. Types of Existence ]

Full Idea

Everything that exists is either a substance or an accident.

Clarification

An 'accident' is a contingent quality of something

Gist of Idea

Everything that exists is either a substance or an accident

Source

Albert of Saxony (On 'Physics' [1357], I.18), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 13.2

Book Ref

Pasnau,Robert: 'Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671' [OUP 2011], p.252

A Reaction

This seems to be the view of those who base their ontology on first-order classical logic. The more austere reading of that makes the accidents into sets of substances, so it's just substances. All the non-substance stuff cries out for recognition.

The 4 ideas from Albert of Saxony

16570 Elements are found last in dismantling bodies, and first in generating them [Albert of Saxony]
16664 Everything that exists is either a substance or an accident [Albert of Saxony]
16703 God could make a successive thing so that previous parts cease to exist [Albert of Saxony]
16699 Successive entities just need parts to succeed one another, without their existence [Albert of Saxony]