The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
E. J. Lowe sets out and defends his theory of what there is. His four-category ontology is a metaphysical system that recognizes two fundamental categorial distinctions which cut across each other to generate four fundamental ontological categories. The distinctions are between the particular and the universal and between the substantial and the non-substantial. The four categories thus generated are substantial particulars, non-substantial particulars, substantial universals and non-substantial universals. Non-substantial universals include properties and relations, conceived as universals. Non-substantial particulars include property-instances and relation-instances, otherwise known as non-relational and relational tropes or modes. Substantial particulars include propertied individuals, the paradigm examples of which are persisting, concrete objects. Substantial universals are otherwise known as substantial kinds and include as paradigm examples natural kinds of persisting objects.

This ontology has a lengthy pedigree, many commentators attributing it to Aristotle on the basis of certain passages in his apparently early work, the Categories. At various times during the history of Western philosophy, it has been revived or rediscovered, but it has never found universal favour, perhaps on account of its apparent lack of parsimony as well as its commitment to universals. In pursuit of ontological economy, metaphysicians have generally preferred to recognize fewer than four fundamental ontological categories. However, Occam's razor stipulates only that we should not multiply entities beyond necessity; Lowe argues that the four-category ontology has an explanatory power unrivalled by more parsimonious systems, and that this counts decisively in its favour. He shows that it provides a powerful explanatory framework for a unified account of causation, dispositions, natural laws, natural necessity and many other related matters, such as the semantics of counterfactual conditionals and the character of the truthmaking relation. As such, it constitutes a thoroughgoing metaphysical foundation for natural science.

The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science by E. J. Lowe

From reader reviews:

Arlene Martin:

Book is to be different for each and every grade. Book for children until eventually adult are different content. As it is known to us that book is very important for us. The book The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science was making you to know about other information and of course you can take more information. It is very advantages for you. The reserve The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science is not only giving you much more new information but also being your friend when you feel bored. You can spend your own personal spend time to read your guide. Try to make relationship using the book The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science. You never experience lose out for everything should you read some books.

Vanessa Palacios:

Reading a e-book tends to be new life style with this era globalization. With examining you can get a lot of information that can give you benefit in your life. Along with book everyone in this world can easily share their idea. Publications can also inspire a lot of people. Plenty of author can inspire their particular reader with their story as well as their experience. Not only situation that share in the ebooks. But also they write about the ability about something that you need example. How to get the good score toefl, or how to teach your young ones, there are many kinds of book that you can get now. The authors these days always try to improve their expertise in writing, they also doing some exploration before they write with their book. One of them is this The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science.

Chris Moore:

Is it you actually who having spare time in that case spend it whole day by watching television programs or just laying on the bed? Do you need something new? This The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science can be the answer, oh how comes? A fresh book you know. You are thus out of date, spending your free time by reading in this brand-new era is common not a nerd activity. So what these books have than the others?

James McNally:

You can obtain this The Four-Category Ontology: A Metaphysical Foundation for Natural Science by go to the bookstore or Mall. Merely viewing or reviewing it may to be your solve difficulty if you get difficulties for the knowledge. Kinds of this book are various. Not only through written or printed but additionally can you enjoy this book simply by e-book. In the modern era like now, you just looking from your mobile phone and searching what their problem. Right now, choose your current ways to get more information about your book. It is most important to arrange yourself to make your knowledge are still change. Let's try to choose correct ways for you.