Identifying 'Substance' as 'Propensity'

Here is a summary of my argument as applied to physics.
Discussing the basic categories, and how there is seen to be a connection between them that was previously missed.

Three categories of terms in physics:

• existential terms
  • about what exists
• formal terms
  • about the structure & static properties of what exists
• dynamical terms
• about what would happen, in new and/or hypothetical conditions
• only by hypothesizing dynamics, can we deduce the future.

Examples of Formal Terms

• shape, number, form, relation, configuration, symmetry
• function, field, oscillation, wave, flow,
• point, length, area, volume, amplitude,
• vector, matrix, operator, Hilbert space, bra, ket,
• ratios, relative frequency, probability, ...
DESCRIBED BY MATHEMATICS

Examples of Existential Terms particle, material, matter, corpuscle, body, fluid, ether, substance, actuality, reality, event, interaction, outcome,person, experience, observation, sensation, thought, feeling, ... (we know we exist!) world, universe, ... DESCRIBED BY ONTOLOGY Examples of Dynamical Terms cause, propensity, disposition, power, capability, potentiality, energy (kinetic and potential), mass, charge, field coupling, force, pressure, momentum, impetus, elasticity/rigidity, (for people: intention, disposition, motivation, skill, desire, intelligence, …) DESCRIBED BY LAWS (PHYSICAL or mental)  Remember: Dynamical properties say what would happen, even if it does not:  A force says what acceleration would be caused if a mass was acted on. Electric fields generates a force if and when a charge is present. Quantum propensities give probabilities if a measurement is performed. New idea: ‘Dynamic substance’ Derive ‘existence’ from ‘dynamics’ This happens already in physics. Many examples: ‘electromagnetic force field’, ‘potential energy field’ ‘matter is a form of energy’ wave function is a ‘propensity field’ propensity to interact, or propensity to choose actual outcome Propensity (of some kind) is substance So form is never substance: only propensities (etc) can ever be substantial. There is no need to describe 'substance' any more in obscure terms! All that is needed are propensities that intrinsically endure for finite times. We identify 'the substance of things' with 'some enduring propensity'. This summary is taken from a talk I gave in 2000 to my physics department at Surrey University. A complete set of slides is online here. I will in later posts argue that the same conclusion applies to mental as well as physical dispositions.