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Single Idea 24386

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 1. Physical Objects]

Full Idea

The concentration on perduring physical things as existents in nature slights the equal claims of another ontological category, namely processes, activities, events, occurrences - items better indicated by verbs than nouns. Storms are as real as dogs.

Gist of Idea

Processes and events like storms are just as real as things like dogs

Source

Nicholas Rescher (Process Metaphysics [1996], 2.1)

A Reaction

The obvous response is that all of those entities are necessarily composed of things. But things exist at an instant, but his examples all need duration. His view needs the addition that the small things that compose them are themselves processes.

Book Reference

Rescher,Nicholas: 'Process Metaphysics' [SUNY 1996], p.29