Philosophy as a Science

Philosophy is not a science in the same way as the natural sciences. It deals with more fundamental questions about being, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Unlike the natural sciences, philosophy doesn't rely on empirical observation or experimentation to prove its claims.

Material object: The subject matter, that is, the things of nature that we study in philosophy.
Formal object quo: The aspect or way we study the things of nature, concentrating on their most fundamental principles and how they relate to reality.

Substance: A thing that exists in itself, not in another. It's the fundamental basis for existence.
Examples of Substances: A dog, a table, the earth, the sun, water
Accident: A characteristic or property of a substance, existing in a substance but not being the substance itself.
Examples of Accidents: Color, size, shape, location, speed, and movement

Elements of Change: Substance, matter, form, privation
Substantial Change: The change from one substance or type of substance to another.
Subject: The substance undergoing the change
Starting Point: The original substance
Ending Point: The new substance formed
Accidental Change: A change in the properties of a substance without changing its fundamental type of substance.
Subject: The substance undergoing the change
Starting Point: The initial state of the properties/accidents
Ending Point: The final state of the properties/accidents
Prime Matter: Pure potentiality; the underlying substance that receives properties but is itself not any specific substance.
Secondary Matter/ Informed Matter: Prime matter that has acquired a substantial form, making it a specific substance.
Privation: The lack of a property that something is capable of having . Privation plays a crucial role in accidental change.

Movement: Change of place or position, or a more general shift—it is a particular kind of change.
Aristotle's definition of movement: The actuality of what is potentially.
Aquinas' definition of movement: The act of a being that is in potency insofar as it is in potency.

Substance: A thing existing in itself. First substance: Individual particular things (this man, this dog)
Second Substance: Species or genera of things.
Quality: Examples include color, size, and shape
Quantity: Examples include length and weight.
Relation: The connection one thing has to another. Examples: Larger than, equal to, or in front of. Many types exist: Cause-effect, parent-child, etc.
Place (ubi): where something is. Examples: This pen is on the table. This book is in the drawer
When (quando): time; when something is. Example: The bird is flying at noon.
Position (situs): a thing's situation relative to something else. Examples: A table between two chairs.
Habituation (habitus): State an object has that affects its actions. Example: An animal's strength (for an animal) or a person's virtue (for a person).
Action (actio): A force exerted by one thing on another. Example: Pulling a chair
Passion (passio): The reception of action. Example: A chair being pulled

Predicables: General terms used to describe the nature of things (like genus, species, difference, property, accident).

Hylomorphism: The philosophical view that all physical objects consist of both matter (the material aspect) and form (the organizing principle or structure).
Universal Hylomorphism: A more encompassing application of the hylomorphic principle.

Cause: Something that brings something else into being.
Element: A component of something more complex.
Principle: Basis of explanation.
Condition: a factor limiting, making cause productive; or even making something happen when it would not have happened without the condition
Occasion: Event initiating (but not fully explaining) something.
Act: Being actualized.
Potency: The capacity or possibility of being actualized.
Four Causes:
Material Cause: The matter from which something is made.
Efficient Cause: The agent or cause that brings something to existence. Sometimes described as "moving cause." Example: The carpenter makes the table
Formal Cause: The structure, pattern, or design of something.
Final Cause: The purpose or goal of something.
Exemplar Cause: The archetype or model for an effect.
Individuation: What makes one individual different from other individuals of the same species.
Aggregate: A combination of parts that don't share a common form.
Presence by Power: Some elements present, yet not visibly evident. The potential but not actual presence of something in something else.
Quantitative Part: A measurable portion of something larger.
Aristotle's Definition of Place: The boundary of the surrounding space defining the place. Importantly: Place is a kind of limiting condition
Anti-natural: Contrary to nature's inherent tendencies or purposes.