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Single Idea 17556

[from 'Material Beings' by Peter van Inwagen, in 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 1. Physical Objects ]

Full Idea

A thing is a material object if it occupies space and endures through time and can move about in space (literally move, unlike a shadow or wave or reflection) and has a surface and has a mass and is made of a certain stuff or stuffs.

Gist of Idea

Material objects are in space and time, move, have a surface and mass, and are made of some stuff

Source

Peter van Inwagen (Material Beings [1990], 01)

Book Reference

Inwagen,Peter van: 'Material Beings' [Cornell 1995], p.17


A Reaction

It is not at all clear what electrons (which must count for him as 'simples') are made of.

Related Idea

Idea 14937 That the universe must be 'made of' something is just obsolete physics [Ladyman/Ross]