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Single Idea 16762

[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / a. Greek matter ]

Full Idea

What desires the form is matter, as the female the male, and the ugly the beautiful.

Gist of Idea

Matter desires form, as female desires male, and ugliness desires beauty

Source

Aristotle (Physics [c.337 BCE], 192a22)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'The Basic Works of Aristotle', ed/tr. McKeon,Richard [Modern Library Classics 2001], p.235


A Reaction

Wow! This is a very active view of matter. The drive in nature (the 'conatus' in Spinoza) can be discerned in all sorts of levels. It is Nietzsche's will to power. It seems to be the opposite of entropy.


The 12 ideas with the same theme [early Greek views on basic solid stuff]:

Mind creates the world from a mixture of pure substances [Anaxagoras, by ]
Matter is the limit of points and lines, and must always have quality and form [Aristotle]
The primary matter is the substratum for the contraries like hot and cold [Aristotle]
Matter is neither a particular thing nor a member of a determinate category [Aristotle]
Matter is perceptible (like bronze) or intelligible (like mathematical objects) [Aristotle]
Substance must exist, because something must endure during change between opposites [Aristotle]
Aristotle had a hierarchical conception of matter [Aristotle, by Fine,K]
Aristotle says matter is a lesser substance, rather than wholly denying that it is a substance [Aristotle, by Kung]
Matter desires form, as female desires male, and ugliness desires beauty [Aristotle]
Aristotle's matter can become any other kind of matter [Aristotle, by Wiggins]
Stripped and passive matter is just a human invention [Bacon]
The components of abstract definitions could play the same role as matter for physical objects [Fine,K]