2024.08.1 : View this Review Online | View Recent NDPR Reviews
David Charles (ed.), The History of Hylomorphism, Oxford University Press, 2023, 432pp., $115.00 (hbk), ISBN 9780192897664.
Reviewed by William M. R. Simpson, Durham University and University of Oxford
The hylomorphic notion that natural objects are best conceived as composites of matter and form, where form explains what makes a particular object the object that it is, has been receiving fresh attention in some quarters of contemporary philosophy. Yet hylomorphism remains a neglected topic in many philosophy departments, and its genealogy is seldom considered. The History of Hylomorphism, which gathers essays from experts in the fields of ancient and medieval philosophy, addresses an important need. I hope that many philosophers—not just historians—will read it, for it offers something more than a scholarly exploration of a niche topic: it demonstrates how the history of hylomorphism has shaped how the ‘Mind-Body problem’ is formulated by philosophers today. It may even point the way towards a possible…
Read the full article which is published on Notre Dame's Philosophical Reviews (external link)
