Ontological Analysis of Concrete Particulars: Bundle Theory and Categorical Aristotelian Substance Theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master of Islamic Philosophy and Theology: University of Tehran

2 Associate Professor of Tehran University

Abstract

The ontological analysis of concrete particulars deals with the relationship between concrete object and their attributes. Both Peter Simons' Nuclear Theory and Aristotelian Substance Theory may present an acceptable explanation for the following three problems:  Identity of Indiscernible, Excessive Necessitism and Change. In spite of the superiority of these two theories over the other theories, each has problems need to be addressed. Aristotelian theory does not seem to be very successful in showing that the spices (kinds) are unchangeable or at least does not explain it. Simmons's theory also returns to Aristotelian theory. While outlining the challenges to any theory, the final suggestion of the paper is that with inspiration of Simmons' theory and introducing a relation between the generalities (universal Whatness), create a modification in Aristotelian theory to overcome the challenge of the irreductive challenge of Species (kinds) Simons' theory, in some sense, collapses back to Aristotelian Theory.

Keywords

References

Aristotle, (1999), Aristotle's Logic (Organoon), translated by Adib Soltani, Mir Shams-e-din, Tehran: Negah Publications. [In Persian] 
Armstrong, David M. (2005) “Four Disputes about Properties”, Synthese, Vol. 144, No.3, p 309-320. [In English]   
Broackes, Justin (2006), “Substance”, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Vol. 106, p 133-168. [In English]
Broackes, Justin and Hacker, Peter (2004), “Substance”, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volumes, Vol. 78, p 41-63. [In English]
Hoffman, Joshua and Rosenkrantz, Gary S. (2003), Substance: Its Nature and Existence, London and New York: Routledge. [In English]
Loux, Michael, J., (2015), “An exercise in constituent ontology”, in Galluzzo, Gabriele and Loux, Michael, J. ed., The Problem of Universals in Contemporary Philosophy, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. [In English]
---------------------, (1978), Substance and Attribute, Holland: D. Reidel Publishing Company. [In English]
---------------------, (2001), Metaphysics: Contemporary Readings, London: Routledge. [In English]
---------------------, (2016), Metaphysics: a contemporary introduction, translated by Afroogh, saleh and Pour Ismaeil, Saleh, Tehran: Hakmat. [In Persian]
Lowe, E. J. (2006), The Four-Category Ontology, Oxford: Oxford University Press. [In English]
--------------, (2009), More Kinds of Being, Second Edition, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. [In English]
--------------, (2015), “In defense of substantial universals”, in Galluzzo, Gabriele and Loux, Michael J. ed., The Problem of Universals in Contemporary Philosophy, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. [In English] 
Morland, J. P. (2001), Universals, United Kingdom: Acumen. [In English]
Van Cleve, James (1985), “Three Versions of the Bundle Theory”, Philosophical Studies, Vol. 47, p 95-107. [In English]
Journal of Ontological Researches
Volume 8, Issue 16
March 2020
Pages 59-78

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics