- This pseudo-Paper is intended as the mechanism to record time spent on the Note 'Process Metaphysics1' during my Thesis research, as from December 2017.
- For the actual time recorded, click on "Paper Statistics" above.
Write-up2 (as at 10/10/2018 16:43:41): Process Metaphysics
Plug Note3- A foundation-stone of my – and most philosophers’ – account of identity is that “things” – or at least some “things” – exist. Without things to persist, there can be no persistence and no diachronic identity.
- There has been much discussion about just which things exist, and which things make up – or compose4 – other things – see, for instance:-
→ "Hudson (Hud) - Vagueness and Composition"
→ "Markosian (Ned) - Brutal Composition"
→ "Miller (Kristie) - The Existential Quantifier, Composition and Contingency"
→ "Parsons (Josh) - Conceptual Conservatism and Contingent Composition"
And especially …
→ "Van Inwagen (Peter) - The Special Composition Question"
→ "Van Inwagen (Peter) - When are Objects Parts?" - However, some recent papers I’ve seen on Aeon cast doubt on the existence of things, and prefer to focus on processes – in particular, biological ones. This is “process metaphysics”, or “naturalistic metaphysics”. See:-
→ "Vieira (Celso) - Which is more fundamental: processes or things?"
→ "Dupre (John) - Metaphysics of metamorphosis"
The above two papers are all I’ve read on the subject thus far. - Relevant books include:-
→ "Rescher (Nicholas) - Process Metaphysics: An Introduction to Process Philosophy"
→ "Ladyman (James), Ross (Don), Spurrett (David) & Collier (John) - Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized" - Books by Alfred North Whitehead – while historically important – are not a priority in this context.
- Nor are those on Process Theology.
- Back in the previous century, around 1993, I used to attend the meetings of “The Society for Process Thought”, and corresponded frequently with its chairman, Patrick Lewin. A quick Google didn’t reveal anything about the Society, or Patrick, so maybe both are extinct. I did find an old Newsletter that mentioned both: Link, on the Conway Hall Website (Link).
- I’m not sure how much of an impact this stance has on my research. I’d already suggested that animals are each individuated by a life5, itself a process.
- For a page of Links6 to this Note, Click here.
- Works on this topic that I’ve actually read7, include8 the following:-
- "Dupre (John) - Metaphysics of metamorphosis"
- "Vieira (Celso) - Which is more fundamental: processes or things?"
- A reading list might start with:-
- "Ladyman (James), Ross (Don), Spurrett (David) & Collier (John) - Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized"
- "Rescher (Nicholas) - Process Metaphysics: An Introduction to Process Philosophy"
- This is mostly a place-holder9.
In-Page Footnotes
Footnote 2: - This is the write-up as it was when this Abstract was last output, with text as at the timestamp indicated (10/10/2018 16:43:41).
- Link to Latest Write-Up Note.
Footnote 3: - A number of my philosophical Notes are “promissory notes” currently only listing the books and papers (if any) I possess on the topic concerned.
- I’ve decided to add some text – whether by way of motivation, or something more substantive – for all these identified topics related to my Thesis.
- As I want to do this fairly quickly, the text may be confused or show surprising ignorance.
- The reader (if such exists) will have to bear with me, and display the principle of charity while this footnote exists.
Footnote 4: - I need a note on Composition.
- It is involved in – but not identical to – issues of Constitution.
Footnote 6: - If only a “non-updating” run has been made, the links are only one-way – ie. from the page of links to the objects that reference this Note by mentioning the appropriate key-word(s). The links are also only indicative, as they haven’t yet been confirmed as relevant.
- Once an updating run has been made, links are both ways, and links from this Notes page (from the “Authors, Books & Papers Citing this Note” and “Summary of Note Links to this Page” sections) are to the “point of link” within the page rather than to the page generically. Links from the “links page” remain generic.
- There are two sorts of updating runs – for Notes and other Objects. The reason for this is that Notes are archived, and too many archived versions would be created if this process were repeatedly run.
Footnote 7: - Frequently I’ll have made copious marginal annotations, and sometimes have written up a review-note.
- In the former case, I intend to transfer the annotations into electronic form as soon as I can find the time.
- In the latter case, I will have remarked on the fact against the citation, and will integrate the comments into this Note in due course.
- My intention is to incorporate into these Notes comments on material I’ve already read rather than engage with unread material at this stage.
Footnote 8: - I may have read others in between updates of this Note – in which case they will be marked as such in the “References and Reading List” below.
- Papers or Books partially read have a rough %age based on the time spent versus the time expected.
Text Colour Conventions (see disclaimer)
- Blue: Text by me; © Theo Todman, 2019