Ideas from 'De Corpore (Elements, First Section)' by Thomas Hobbes [1655], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Metaphysical Writings' by Hobbes,Thomas (ed/tr Calkins,Mary Whiton) [Open Court 1905,0-87548-045-4]].

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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / e. Philosophy as reason

17240

Definitions are the first step in philosophy

2. Reason / D. Definition / 2. Aims of Definition

17237

Definitions of things that are caused must express their manner of generation

2. Reason / D. Definition / 5. Genus and Differentia

17239

Definition is resolution of names into successive genera, and finally the difference

2. Reason / D. Definition / 8. Impredicative Definition

17241

A defined name should not appear in the definition

2. Reason / F. Fallacies / 3. Question Begging

17242

'Petitio principii' is reusing the idea to be defined, in disguised words

4. Formal Logic / G. Formal Mereology / 3. Axioms of Mereology

17245

A part of a part is a part of a whole

6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / e. Ordinal numbers

17258

If we just say one, one, one, one, we don't know where we have got to

7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 1. Nature of Change

17253

Change is nothing but movement

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 8. Properties as Modes

16670

Accidents are just modes of thinking about bodies

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties

16621

Accidents are not parts of bodies (like blood in a cloth); they have accidents as things have a size

8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 3. Powers as Derived

16734

The complete power of an event is just the aggregate of the qualities that produced it

8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / b. Nominalism about universals

17247

The only generalities or universals are names or signs

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / c. Individuation by location

14960

Bodies are independent of thought, and coincide with part of space

17250

If you separate the two places of one thing, you will also separate the thing

17249

If you separated two things in the same place, you would also separate the places

9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / b. Unifying aggregates

17248

If a whole body is moved, its parts must move with it

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / b. Sums of parts

16790

A body is always the same, whether the parts are together or dispersed

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / c. Wholes from parts

17244

To make a whole, parts needn't be put together, but can be united in the mind

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 5. Essence as Kind

17233

Particulars contain universal things

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 7. Essence and Necessity / b. Essence not necessities

17246

Some accidental features are permanent, unless the object perishes

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 13. Nominal Essence

17251

The feature which picks out or names a thing is usually called its 'essence'

9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 8. Continuity of Rivers

17257

It is the same river if it has the same source, no matter what flows in it

9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 9. Ship of Theseus

12853

Some individuate the ship by unity of matter, and others by unity of form

17256

If a new ship were made of the discarded planks, would two ships be numerically the same?

9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 3. Relative Identity

16794

As an infant, Socrates was not the same body, but he was the same human being

9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 8. Leibniz's Law

17255

Two bodies differ when (at some time) you can say something of one you can't say of the other

10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / b. Conceivable but impossible

16582

We can imagine a point swelling and contracting - but not how this could be done

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / g. Causal explanations

17238

Science aims to show causes and generation of things

15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 2. Imagination

17260

Imagination is just weakened sensation

15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 10. Conatus/Striving

19373

A 'conatus' is an initial motion, experienced by us as desire or aversion [Arthur,R]

17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 1. Physical Mind

2948	Sensation is merely internal motion of the sentient being

18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / e. Basic emotions

17261

Apart from pleasure and pain, the only emotions are appetite and aversion

18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 5. Mental Files

17236

Words are not for communication, but as marks for remembering what we have learned

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / b. Prime matter

16600

Prime matter is body considered with mere size and extension, and potential

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 1. Causation

17252

Acting on a body is either creating or destroying a property in it

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / c. Conditions of causation

17254

An effect needs a sufficient and necessary cause

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / d. Causal necessity

17235

A cause is the complete sum of the features which necessitate the effect

27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement

17234

Motion is losing one place and acquiring another

27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / c. Forces

17259

'Force' is the quantity of movement imposed on something

27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / k. Temporal truths

17243

Past times can't exist anywhere, apart from in our memories