Structural Composition Theory on Parthood
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Author(s)
Hsieh, Chia-Hao
Abstract
There are a number of material objects in our ordinary life, and most of them composed by their parts. But, is there any condition to be satisfied for the composition of material objects? This is so-called Special Composition Question (SCQ): What are the sufficient and necessary conditions for any xs out of which an object is composed?
I introduce Restricted Composition, Nihilism and Universalism. Although each of these theories has its own answer to SCQ, and also offers some convincing reasons to support its own account, but they all face some serious problems. Hence, I reject these theories. And I find that the series of works by Kit Fine provides more plausible approach to SCQ. Fine suggests that we pay more attention to the aspect of structure of material objects, and I call this account Structuralism. I defend this account in the last chapter and conclude that a theory of composition is acceptable, only when it can well explain the nature of structural composition.
Subjects
composition
parthood
mereology
organicism
nihilism
universalism
structuralism
hylomorphism
Fine
Type
thesis
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