Week 5 and 6 Study Questions Midterm Prep Flashcards
How does act/potency relate to essence/existence?
act/potency would apply mainly to the essence of a being but not the existence as the existence holds as long as it is a real being.
However, the essence (what makes the being separate from all other existence) could be modified (via its potentiality) into a different act.
How does act/potency relate to form/matter?
act/potency would apply to form but not to matter. Form, what makes a particular being of limited essence what it is by a qualitative stance, could change (though not be replaced or be of more than 2). The being could change colors, could become longer, shorter, etc.
However, matter, what makes that form that form and not this form, could not be applied as a change in the being’s matter would make it a different being.
How does act/potency relation to substance/accidents?
substance resides in the abiding center of potency. It is the principle of self-identity and though a dynamic principle remains at the core of the being’s potency.
Accidents can be thought of as the phases of change that a being passes through in order to arrive at difference actualities (acts).
How are angels individuated? How many are there in one species?
Angels, because they are pure form with no matter, are only qualitative essences.
There is no distinguishing between multiple species, as this requires matter. Therefore, in each angel, they are their own species so to speak. There is one angel per species.
Why is primary matter required as the underlying principle of continuity?
Otherwise we would have a congregate of multiple beings summed together for a new whole rather than a single being
Why does Aquinas think that there can only be one one actualized substantial form in one nature at a time, and not many substantial forms as others have held?
Aquinas asserts this to ensure the unity of real natures. Someone might think that multiple layers of substantial forms are present to ease the explanation of change; only some of the layers of substantial forms would need to change, and the innermost ones could stay the same. Metaphorically, the top layers could be removed and replaced while the core remains the same, unchanged.
Compare and Contrast Clarke/Mumford on individuals
Clarke views identity in light of limiting essence from existence. Then, he goes to further explain the form and matter
Mumford discusses both the substratum and bundle theory view
Compare and Contrast Clarke/Mumford on universals
Clarke = Artistotilean view remains that there are forms here that pertain to the “universal” Mumford is referring to
Mumford = Mumford says that universals can be at any place or time, speaking of the Platonic and Nominalism view
Compare and Contrast Clarke/Mumford on parts/whole
Clarke = the One and the many, that there is a unifying oneness that transcends through the many
Mumford = reductionism
Compare and Contrast Clarke/Mumford on change
Clarke = Accidental vs substantial change, act and potency
Mumford - events and processes, speaks of perdurantism or the progression of multiple events seamlessly
What is the Platonic heavenly realm refer to?
There is a perfect form of a mental abstraction in a heavenly realm.
What is the Nomilism view refer to?
it is the view that everything is a particular name. In regards to circularity, circular is just a word (the name) we use to describe groups of particular objects.
What is an issue with the Platonic heavenly realm view?
infinite regress
