Matter and Form
In Aristotle's writings, matter (hyle) is a relative term, for example, clay might be the matter of some brick, which in turn, become the proximate matter of a house. Aristotle defines X's matter as "that out of which" X is made. For example, letters are the matter of syllables.
Change is analyzed as a material transformation: matter is what undergoes a change of form. For example, consider a lump of bronze that's shaped into a statue. Bronze is the matter and the forms (literally, shapes) are lump and statue.
According to Aristotle's theory of perception, we perceive an object by copying its form with our sense organs. Thus, forms include complex qualia like colors, textures and flavors, not just shapes.
Read more about this topic: Hylomorphism
Famous quotes containing the words matter and/or form:
““Money is good and a girl might be better,
No matter what happens and who takes the fall,
But a good strong cause”Mthe rope gave a jerk there,
No more sang he, for his throat was too small;
But he kicked before he died,
He did it out of pride.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“The world is not looking for servants,—there are plenty of these,—but for masters, men who form their purposes and then carry them out, let the consequences be what they may.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)