Aquinas's Ontology of the Material World: Change, Hylomorphism, and Material Objects

Synopsis

What Is The Nature Of The Material World? And How Are Its Fundamental Constituents To Be Described? These Questions Are Of Central Concern To Contemporary Philosophers, And In Their Attempt To Answer Them, They Have Begun Reconsidering Traditional Views About Metaphysical Structure, Including The Aristotelian View That Material Objects Are Best Described As 'hylomorphic Compounds'-that Is, Objects Composed Of Both Matter (hyle) And Form (morphe). In This Major New Study, Jeffrey E. Brower Presents And Explains The Hylomorphic Conception Of The Material World Developed By Thomas Aquinas, The Most Influential Aristotelian Of The Middle Ages. According To Brower, The Key To Understanding Aquinas's Conception Lies In His Distinctive Account Of Intrinsic Change. Beginning With A Novel Analysis Of This Account, Brower Systematically Introduces All The Elements Of Aquinas's Hylomorphism, Showing How They Apply To Material Objects In General And Human Beings In Particular. The Resulting Picture Not Only Sheds New Light On Aquinas's Ontology As A Whole, But Provides A Wholesale Alternative To The Standard Contemporary Accounts Of Material Objects. Part I. Introduction: A Sketch Of The Complete Ontology -- Filling Out The Sketch -- Part Ii. Change: Change In General -- Substantial Vs. Accidental Change -- Part Iii. Hylomorphism: From Change To Hylomorphism -- Hylomorphism As A Type Of Substratum Theory -- In Defense Of Hylomorphism -- Part Iv. Material Objects: From Hylomorphism To Material Compounds -- Types Of Material Compound -- Material Compounds Vs. Material Objects -- Part V. Complications: Non-standard Changes And Forms Without Substrata -- Mind-body Dualism -- The Afterlife. Jeffrey E. Brower. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [314]-322) And Index.