more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 16173

[filed under theme 9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 2. Objects that Change ]

Full Idea

Things that come to be without further qualification do so either by change of shape (a statue) or by addition (growing things) or by subtraction (a carving) or by composition (a house) or by alteration (things changing their matter).

Gist of Idea

Coming to be is by shape-change, addition, subtraction, composition or alteration

Source

Aristotle (Physics [c.337 BCE], 190b06)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Physics', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP 1996], p.26


A Reaction

[compressed] Aristotle observes that in each case there is clearly some 'underlying thing'.

Related Idea

Idea 16172 Substance is not predicated of anything - but it still has something underlying it, that originates it [Aristotle]


The 17 ideas with the same theme [how identity fares when an object's properties change]:

For animate things, only the form, not the matter or properties, must persist through change [Aristotle, by Frede,M]
Coming to be is by shape-change, addition, subtraction, composition or alteration [Aristotle]
Natural things are their own source of stability through change [Aristotle]
Change of matter doesn't destroy identity - in Dion and Theon change is a condition of identity [Chrysippus, by Long/Sedley]
If identity survives change or interruption, then resemblance, contiguity or causation must unite the parts of it [Hume]
If a republic can retain identity through many changes, so can an individual [Hume]
To say something remains the same but lacks its capacities and powers seems a contradiction [Harré/Madden]
Some individuals can gain or lose capacities or powers, without losing their identity [Harré/Madden]
A particular might change all of its characteristics, retaining mere numerical identity [Harré/Madden]
Properties cannot be relations to times, if there are temporary properties which are intrinsic [Lewis, by Sider]
If a soldier continues to exist after serving as a soldier, does the wind cease to exist after it ceases to blow? [Benardete,JA]
A 'substance' is a thing that remains the same when its properties change [Lowe]
'Adverbialism' explains change by saying an object has-at-some-time a given property [Hawley]
Presentism solves the change problem: the green banana ceases, so can't 'relate' to the yellow one [Hawley]
The problem of change arises if there must be 'identity' of a thing over time [Hawley]
Change is instantiation of a non-uniform distributional property, like 'being red-then-orange' [Cameron]
How does a changing object retain identity or have incompatible properties over time? [Baron/Miller]