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17028 | Particles mutually attract, and cohere at short distances [Newton] |
Full Idea: The particles of bodies attract one another at very small distances and cohere when they become contiguous. | |
From: Isaac Newton (Principia Mathematica [1687], Bk 3 Gen Schol) | |
A reaction: This is the sort of account of unity which has to be given in the corpuscular view of things, once substantial forms are given up. What is missing here is the structure of the thing. A lump of dirt is as unified as a cat in this story. |