No Time, No Wholes: A Temporal and Causal-Oriented Approach to the Ontology of Wholes |
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Authors: | Riccardo Manzotti |
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Affiliation: | (1) Instititute of Consumption, Communication and Behaviour, IULM University, Via Carlo Bo, 8, 20143 Milan, Italy |
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Abstract: | What distinguishes a whole from an arbitrary sum of elements? I suggest a temporal and causal oriented approach. I defend two connected claims. The former is that existence is, by every means, coextensive with being the cause of a causal process. The latter is that a whole is the cause of a causal process with a joint effect. Thus, a whole is something that takes place in time. The approach endorses an unambiguous version of Restricted Composition that suits most commonsensical intuitions about wholes. |
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Keywords: | Causation Composition Ontology Process Wholes |
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