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Single Idea 16769
[filed under theme 9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 3. Unity Problems / c. Statue and clay
]
Full Idea
The unitarian view of substance says it cannot be divided. If the clay can survive the destruction of the statue, then that shows that the statue was not a substance at all, and that its shape (or whatever made it a statue) was merely a passing accident.
Gist of Idea
If clay survives destruction of the statue, the statue wasn't a substance, but a mere accident
Source
Robert Pasnau (Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 [2011], 25.3)
Book Ref
Pasnau,Robert: 'Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671' [OUP 2011], p.584
A Reaction
This seems to give the orthodox Aristotelian/Thomist reading, assuming that a substance only has one form, which unifies it. Since clay must have shape, and statues must have matter, I have never understood how there were two objects here.
Related Idea
Idea 15766
Megaran actualism is just scepticism about the qualities of things [Aristotle]
The
38 ideas
with the same theme
[united objects with separate aspects]:
10951
|
The statue is not called 'stone' but 'stoney'
[Aristotle]
|
16085
|
Primary matter and form make a unity, one in potentiality, the other in actuality
[Aristotle]
|
16096
|
Statues depend on their bronze, but bronze doesn't depend on statues
[Aristotle, by Gill,ML]
|
16174
|
A nature is related to a substance as shapeless matter is to something which has a shape
[Aristotle]
|
17643
|
Shape is essential relative to 'statue', but not essential relative to 'clay'
[Putnam]
|
17513
|
If there are two objects, then 'that marble, man-shaped object' is ambiguous
[Ayers]
|
14064
|
If a statue is identical with the clay of which it is made, that identity is contingent
[Gibbard]
|
14066
|
A 'piece' of clay begins when its parts stick together, separately from other clay
[Gibbard]
|
14067
|
Clay and statue are two objects, which can be named and reasoned about
[Gibbard]
|
14069
|
We can only investigate the identity once we have designated it as 'statue' or as 'clay'
[Gibbard]
|
17562
|
The statue and lump seem to share parts, but the statue is not part of the lump
[Inwagen]
|
17574
|
If you knead clay you make an infinite series of objects, but they are rearrangements, not creations
[Inwagen]
|
16071
|
Sculpting a lump of clay destroys one object, and replaces it with another one
[Burke,M, by Wasserman]
|
16234
|
Burke says when two object coincide, one of them is destroyed in the process
[Burke,M, by Hawley]
|
13278
|
Maybe the clay becomes a different lump when it becomes a statue
[Burke,M, by Koslicki]
|
13383
|
If the statue is loved and the clay hated, that is about the object first qua statue, then qua clay
[Jubien]
|
13400
|
If one entity is an object, a statue, and some clay, these come apart in at least three ways
[Jubien]
|
14381
|
A statue is essentially the statue, but its lump is not essentially a statue, so statue isn't lump
[Yablo, by Rocca]
|
7047
|
Statues and bronze lumps have discernible differences, so can't be identical
[Heil]
|
7048
|
Do we reduce statues to bronze, or eliminate statues, or allow statues and bronze?
[Heil]
|
16078
|
Clay is intrinsically and atomically the same as statue (and that lacks 'modal properties')
[Rudder Baker]
|
16077
|
The clay is not a statue - it borrows that property from the statue it constitutes
[Rudder Baker]
|
16546
|
The essence of a bronze statue shows that it could be made of different bronze
[Lowe]
|
16545
|
The essence of lumps and statues shows that two objects coincide but are numerically distinct
[Lowe]
|
4204
|
Statues can't survive much change to their shape, unlike lumps of bronze, which must retain material
[Lowe]
|
14752
|
Artists 'create' statues because they are essentially statues, and so lack identity with the lump of clay
[Sider]
|
16237
|
The modal features of statue and lump are disputed; when does it stop being that statue?
[Hawley]
|
16238
|
Perdurantists can adopt counterpart theory, to explain modal differences of identical part-sums
[Hawley]
|
6137
|
Clay does not 'constitute' a statue, as they have different persistence conditions (flaking, squashing)
[Merricks]
|
13798
|
Maybe we should give up the statue
[Elder]
|
7948
|
A statue and its matter have different persistence conditions, so they are not identical
[Macdonald,C]
|
14497
|
The clay is just a part of the statue (its matter); the rest consists of its form or structure
[Koslicki]
|
13280
|
Statue and clay differ in modal and temporal properties, and in constitution
[Koslicki]
|
18060
|
We can explain the statue/clay problem by a category mistake with a false premise
[Magidor]
|
14482
|
If the statue and the lump are two objects, they require separate properties, so we could add their masses
[Thomasson]
|
14483
|
Given the similarity of statue and lump, what could possibly ground their modal properties?
[Thomasson]
|
14542
|
If statue and clay fall and crush someone, the event is not overdetermined
[Mumford/Anjum]
|
16769
|
If clay survives destruction of the statue, the statue wasn't a substance, but a mere accident
[Pasnau]
|