--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance…" description: "\"“Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes the de re modal properties of objects primitive consequences of their falling under the sor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg" --- # Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes… ![“Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes the de re modal properties of objects primitive consequences of their falling under the sortals that they do: 'A statue is essentially statue shaped because it falls under the statue-sort, so cannot persist through remoulding into a pot'…” quote by James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg) > ““Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes the de re modal properties of objects primitive consequences of their falling under the sortals that they do: 'A statue is essentially statue shaped because it falls under the statue-sort, so cannot persist through remoulding into a pot' (171). This view apparently has 'intuitive appeal', but sadly, 'any counterintuitive consequences of the view are difficult to explain or make palatable'. The substance theory implies that two numerically distinct objects such as a lump of bronze and a statue can share their matter and their region, but this 'is radically counterintuitive, for it seems to contradict our usual way of thinking about material objects as individuated by their matter and region' (172). Such ways of thinking are not 'usual' except among metaphysicians and we do not share them.”” [James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The substance theory claims objects share matter and form, but this clashes with common intuitions about individuality. **In simple terms:** Substance theory challenges common intuitions about objects. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about material identity. Themes metaphysics identity substance theory Mood analytical curious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic debate - teaching philosophy - legal property disputes - art restoration Key Concepts philosophy ontology materiality Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect everyday notions of ownership? - Can material identity be reconciled with intuition? A Different Perspective The theory may be too abstract for practical use. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Individuated Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuated-matter-5684291/) [Material Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-objects-1142752/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Substance Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance-theory-5684290/) [Thinking Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-material-2983409/) [Way of thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'm very much a homebody. But I can't help to put CNN on and before you know it, I'm thinking of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-rainbow/i-m-very-much-a-homebody-but-i-can-t-help-to-put-cnn-on-and-before/) [Randy Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-rainbow/) > [“The materials we provide from 0 to 3 determine what finger grips children will use and what stories they will tell. The purpose is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lewin-benham/the-materials-we-provide-from-0-to-3-determine-what-finger-grips/) [Ann Lewin-Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-lewin-benham/) > [...after a certain point, material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hill/after-a-certain-point-material-objects-have-a-tendency-to-crowd-out/) [Graham Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hill/) > [The familiar material objects may not be all that is real, but they are admirable examples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-familiar-material-objects-may-not-be-all-that-is-real-but-they/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [In one sense 'there are' both universals and material objects, in another sense there is no such thing as either: statements about each can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/in-one-sense-there-are-both-universals-and-material-objects-in/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The fun, joy, and humor dry up in a relationship when one of the partners is swimming in gin. To my way of thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/the-fun-joy-and-humor-dry-up-in-a-relationship-when-one-of-the/) [Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/) > [“My way of thinking is completely different,” he says. “I have no such mountains to scale; basically, I find that living itself is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/my-way-of-thinking-is-completely-different-he-says-i-have-no-such/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [“You cannot think your way into a new way of acting, but you can act your way into a new way of thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-think-your-way-into-a-new-way-of-acting-but-you-can-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [“Let us not subside into a single mandatory way of thinking or feeling, immersed by a spirit of self-gratification. But let’s dig into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-not-subside-into-a-single-mandatory-way-of-thinking-or-feeling/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Even in a remote monastery, you may still be remote from the truth! To find the truth, all you need is a sound way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/even-in-a-remote-monastery-you-may-still-be-remote-from-the-truth-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“She realized that the photograph had caused his reaction. It came to her almost as a revelation. Think of it: a photographer presses a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soheir-khashoggi/she-realized-that-the-photograph-had-caused-his-reaction-it-came-to/) [Soheir Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soheir-khashoggi/) ## More by James Ladyman > [“Lewis famously advocated a metaphysical methodology based on subjecting rival hypotheses to a cost-benefit analysis. Usually there are two kinds of cost associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/lewis-famously-advocated-a-metaphysical-methodology-based-on/) [James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) > [“Attaching epistemic significance to metaphysical intuitions is anti-naturalist for two reasons. First, it requires ignoring the fact that science, especially physics, has shown us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/attaching-epistemic-significance-to-metaphysical-intuitions-is-anti/) [James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) > [“Given that the 'common sense' of many contemporary philosophers is shaped and supplemented by ideas from classical physics, the locus of most metaphysical discussions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/given-that-the-common-sense-of-many-contemporary-philosophers-is/) [James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) > [“Given that the 'common sense' of many contemporary philosophers is shaped and supplemented by ideas from classical physics, the locus of most metaphysical discussions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/given-that-the-common-sense-of-many-contemporary-philosophers-is-2/) [James Ladyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) [Explore all 5 James Ladyman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/) ## More Matter quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [No matter what I do I'll always be stuck on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-stalin/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ll-always-be-stuck-on-you/) [J Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-stalin/) > [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [I think everyone will agree that it doesn't matter how we get to an international tournament. We are going to do whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/i-think-everyone-will-agree-that-it-doesn-t-matter-how-we-get-to-an/) [John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) [Browse all 23,868 Matter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes the de re modal properties of objects primitive consequences of their falling under the sortals that they do: 'A statue is essentially statue shaped because it falls under the statue-sort, so cannot persist through remoulding into a pot' (171). This view apparently has 'intuitive appeal', but sadly, 'any counterintuitive consequences of the view are difficult to explain or make palatable'. The substance theory implies that two numerically distinct objects such as a lump of bronze and a statue can share their matter and their region, but this 'is radically counterintuitive, for it seems to contradict our usual way of thinking about material objects as individuated by their matter and region' (172). Such ways of thinking are not 'usual' except among metaphysicians and we do not share them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Ladyman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-theory-that-makes-the-de-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Matter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-theory-that-makes-the-de-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/james-ladyman-64078_matter_paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-th_2344234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance theory that makes the de re modal properties of objects primitive…” — James Ladyman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Ladyman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ladyman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Paul (2004, 171) discusses the substance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-theory-that-makes-the-de-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ladyman/paul-2004-171-discusses-the-substance-theory-that-makes-the-de-re/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```