Philosophy Test 3

Metaphysics

The study of being/ reality

“a being”

Anything that exists or can be thought of as existing; “a reality”, “a thing”

“the being of things”

The existence of things; the property of existence

Essence

What it is to be something; the definition of something, the fundamental makeup of something

Nature

The essence of a thing as the source of its operations/activities

Property

A quality or characteristic of a thing or being that it has necessarily because of its nature; also known as “attribute”

Substance

A being or reality or thing that can exist by itself; ex. cats dogs, trees, God

Accident

A being or reality or thing that is NOT suited to exist by itself - it exists as the mark, determinant, modification, or characteristic of some other thing; depend on substance for their existence; ex, the color blue, fast, small

Being

The existence of things, the property of existence

The basics of being

Essence, nature, property

Basic kinds of being

Substance, accident

The most fundamental way in which anything can be said to be

Substance

Categories

The ultimate classifications of all beings, realities, or things; the broadest classification of all beings whatsoever

Quantity

An accident that assigns a precise measurement to the extension of bodies in space ex. 5’5

Quality

An accident which determines the sort or kind of a thing; most adjectives; ex. blue, round, tall

Relation

An accident which determines a thing in its standing to or towards a thing; ex. equality, similarity, difference

Place

An accident which determines a thing as to its position in relation to other things; ex. sioux center

Time

An accident which determines a thing in its position with the reference to before or after; ex. noon, this evening

Position

an accident that determines its subject with respect to
the arrangement or disposition of its own parts (e.g., sitting)

Having

an accident which determines its subject with reference
to its clothing or external possessions (e.g., well-dressed,
bearded)

Doing

an accident which determines a thing as doing
something – as producing an effect (e.g., talking, writing)

Being affected

an accident which determines a thing as
undergoing something or being affected by some action (e.g.,
being talked to, being written).

Primary Substance

a fundamental, independent entity that exists in itself, like an individual person or object, as opposed to secondary substances which are categories or classes that things belong to. 

Matter

constituent material that makes up a natural thing or
artifact.
• A chair is made of wood.
• A horse is made of blood, bones, hair, et

Form

what makes some matter a thing of a certain type (e.g.,
a bone rather than a stone, a tree rather than a flower).
• The internal organization or structure of something – like a blueprint
or DNA.
• It is because of a thing’s form that it is this or that type of thing.
• The form is the essence of a thing – what it is to be that thing

Aristotle’s definition of nature

“a principle or cause of being moved and of
being at rest in that to which it belongs primarily, in
virtue of itself and not accidentally”

Material Cause

The “stuff” out of which a thing comes to be, and which persists as a constituent present in the things

Formal Cause

The pattern, archetype, account, or definition of a thing’s essence

Efficient Cause

The primary source of change or rest - where the “first start” of the change came from

Final Cause

The things end (telos) - its purpose, what it’s for, that for the sake of which it is done

Aristotle’s definition of soul

“ An actuality of the first kind of a natural body having life potentially in it”, in other words, soul is our capacity to engage in the activities of life

Actuality

Actually doing something

Potentiality

Having the ability/potential to do something

Mere potentiality

something that can become capable of the activities of life; ex. a small child can learn how to play the piano (but has not learned yet), digesting, perceiving, thinking

First Actuality

something that is currently capable of the activities of life (the should, for Aristotle)

Second actuality

actually engaging in those activities of life

Nutritive soul

a capacity for nourishment, growth, and reproduction (plant soul)

Sensitive soul

involves the nutritive capacities and is a capacity for perception, motion from place to place, desire, and imagination (animal soul)

Rational soul

involves the nutritive and sensitive capacities and a capacity for thought and understanding (human soul)

The five kinds of free will

metaphysical, ethical, autonomous, libertarian, moral

Metaphysical free will

we make our own choices - that is, we do not act under compulsion or by coercion

Ethical free will

Our choices reflect who we are - our inner character

Autonomous free will

Our will is not at all determined by God - it is above God’s determination

Libertarian free will

Our will is completely uncaused, nothing determines what we do, our choices are completely arbitrary, our actions have no cause whatsoever

Moral Free will

It is in our power to choose between what is morally good and morally evil

Fourfold state of human nature

• Able to sin; able not to sin

• Not able to sin

• Able to not sin

• Not able to sin

Able to sin; able not to sin

Moral free will, it was in Adam and eve's power to choose between what was morally good and morally evil

not able to not sin

It is not in the power of fallen, unregenerate human beings to choose between what is morally good and morally evil

Able to not sin

Not moral free will, Because of indwelling sin, it is not wholly in our power to choose to do what is morally good with every action

Not able to sin

Not morally free will; Since we will not be able to sin, it will not be in our power to choose what is morally evil