What is hylomorphism in Aristotle's philosophy?

Hylomorphism is a philosophical doctrine developed by Aristotle that views every physical being as a compound of matter and form. In this theory, matter represents potentiality while substantial form represents actuality. The term itself is a nineteenth-century coinage derived from the Greek words for wood or matter and form.

What we know

• Hylomorphism is a philosophical doctrine developed by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. [1, 2]
• The theory conceives every physical entity or being as a compound of matter and substantial form. [1, 2]
• Matter functions as potentiality and substantial form functions as actuality in the hylomorphic compound. [2]
• The word hylomorphism is a 19th-century term formed from the Greek words hyle and morphe. [2]

Where to go next

• what followedHow has hylomorphism fared in modern philosophy?
• the bigger pictureWhat is Aristotle's Physics?
• how it workedWhat does potentiality mean in Aristotelian thought?
• whoWho was Aristotle?
• compared withHow does Aristotle approach literary theory in Poetics?
• an unexpected connectionHow does an ancient theory of matter connect to modern academic debates?Although hylomorphism is rooted in classical antiquity, it has experienced a notable revival in contemporary philosophy since the 2000s.

Sources

• [1]hylomorphism (Wikidata Q1122538) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Hylomorphism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Rhetoric (Aristotle) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Poetics (Aristotle) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Physics (Aristotle) · CC BY-SA 4.0