Hypokeimenon
Hypokeimenon ( Greek ὑποκείμενον hypokeímenon ; Latin subiectum or substratum "the base", "the underlying", "the carrier") is a term from ancient Greek philosophy .
This term appears for the first time in Anaximander and Anaximenes , but also in Demokrit . The term does not unfold its full spectrum in Plato , but only in Aristotle (especially in the category writing ).
For Aristotle, hypokeimenon denotes that of which something is said because it persists as the underlying - as substrate or subject - in the change of states. From hypokeimenon everything is predicated rest, it itself is not predicated of another. The hypokeimenon is in itself completely free of all determinations (properties). Because of its own lack of properties, it is suitable to be a carrier of different additional properties. The substrate is in particular the indeterminate matter that absorbs changing forms.
The Greek word hypokeimenon has Boethius with subiectum translated into Latin. The Latin subiectum was originally understood as a constantly present thing (also the sentence subject in grammar). It was only through the French philosopher René Descartes that it was related to the ego , which for him became the indubitable basis of all further knowledge.
literature
- Matthias Kaufmann: Substrate . In: Historical Dictionary of Philosophy . Volume 10, Schwabe, Basel 1998, Sp. 557-560
Remarks
- ↑ Jürgen Stolzenberg: Subject . In: Joachim Ritter et al. (Ed.): Historical Dictionary of Philosophy , Volume 10, Basel 1998, Sp. 373–399, here: Sp. 374.