Substantialistic

As substantialistisch views are referred to ascribe the somewhat one thing-like, existing for itself existence. Thus, for example, “substantialism” is the “philosophical doctrine according to which the soul is a substance, a thing-like being”.

The use of the term “substantialist” is often associated with the accusation that this attribution is wrong. Without a reproachful tone of voice, the otherwise identical meaning is more likely to be expressed with the adjective “substantial”: cf. the articles Substantive Definition , Substantial Truth, and Substantial Derivation .

etymology

“Substantialistic” is a German adjective that derives from the Latin neologism substantia, which was coined by Seneca (roughly: what is underneath; more metaphorically speaking: the essentials beneath the surface).

Classic definitions of substance

According to Johannes Hoffmeister , the three “most important definitions” of substance come from Descartes , Spinoza and Kant . Here are those of

Descartes ( Princ. I 51): "By substance we can only understand a thing that exists in such a way that it does not need another thing for its own existence"

and Spinoza (Eth. I Def. 3) stated: “By substance I understand that which is in itself and is understood through itself, that is, that whose concept, in order to be formed, does not need the concept of another thing”.

Narrow and broad concept of substance / materialism and idealism

According to Kant, substance is “that which always remains the same as the substrate of all change.” Kant concludes: “Since this [substance] cannot change in existence, its quantity in nature can neither be increased nor decreased. "

This results in a narrow and a broad concept of substance. The former is materialistic in the philosophical sense, the second idealistic : “In this [Kant's] sense of irreplaceability and indestructibility […] the term“ substance ”is used especially in natural science and natural philosophy: mass and energy play a role in physics because of the the role of the S [ubstanz] applicable to them conservation laws. If one only recognizes it as a substance, one arrives at ° materialism. If one also recognizes the character of the substance of the soul (° substantialism), one arrives at a ° dualism, as Descartes formulated it by juxtaposing the extended (material) and thinking (soul) substance. "

Synonyms: substantialist = essentialist

Substantialist views can use a - in the 1990s by the poststructuralist - deconstructive essentialism are also referred to as "essentialist" expression - criticism has become widely known. Because in the “meaning 'that by which something is what it is'”, substance is “synonymous with 'essentia'. In this meaning the Latin expression 'substantia' […] corresponds to the Greek οὐσία (↑ Usia , ↑ essence , […]). "

Substantialist conceptions in legal philosophy

Legal theory or legal philosophy sees those areas of law and legal institutions as "substantialist" that are independent of legislative acts and remain unchangeable. According to this view, law does not come about through political decisions according to certain predetermined processes, but is substantially different from politics.

In English legal language, a distinction is made between “ a formalist or 'thin' and a substantive or 'thick' definition of the rule of law” or procedural and substantive in constitutional proceedings ( due process ). A "due process" clause has also been included in the US Constitution. In German legal language, this distinction is made using the terms "formal legal" and "substantive law". See the article on the formal and substantive rule of law .

Loss of meaning of the term substance in epistemology

According to Jürgen Mittelstraß, the concept of substance is largely abandoned in "the more recent epistemology [...]. [...]. Objects from a scientific point of view are characterized by relationships and not by the relationship between substance and accident. ”Cf. the article“ Structuralism ”.

Individual evidence

↑ See Kant, Critique of Pure Reason , section “First Analogy of Experience” quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587: “But it is the substrate everything real, ie belonging to the existence of things, the substance, [...]. "
↑ "Substance, [...], what exists, what exists for itself in contrast to what is dependent [...] (° Akzidenz), what persists in contrast to what changes." (Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587).
↑ Duden - The foreign dictionary . 7th edition: Mannheim, 2001 [CD-ROM].
↑ Cf. substantial = "1. concerning the substance (1), material, material. 2. concerning the substance (4), belonging to it, making it up. 3. concerning the substance (3) of a thing, essential . 4. (obsolete) nourishing, substantial. 5. (Philos.) Wesenhaft "( Duden - The Foreign Dictionary . 7th edition. Mannheim, 2001. [CD-ROM] - The numbers behind the word" substance "refer to the different meanings of this word given in the dictionary in question).
↑ Article Substantive Derivation : "The word substantial indicates that one is 'bound' to a 'substance' / mass / fluid."
↑ Jens Halfenwassen, [Section I of the article] “ Substance; Substance / Akzidens ”, in: Joachim Ritter / Karlfried Founder , Historical Dictionary of Philosophy , Schwabe: Basel, 1998, Sp. 495–507 (495).
↑ to: Latin substare = to be present in or under something; from: sub = under u. stare = stand ( Duden - German Universal Dictionary , Mannheim, 5th edition: 2003 [CD-ROM]).
↑ Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical term , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587.
↑ See already FN 1 and below under FN 8.
↑ Both quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587.
↑ Critique of pure reason , section “First analogy of experience” quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587
↑ Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical term , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587 - Hv. OK
↑ Jürgen Mittelstraß, article "Substance", in: Jürgen Mittelstraß (ed.), Encyclopedia Philosophy and Philosophy of Science . Vol. 4, Metzler: Stuttgart / Weimar, 1996, 133-136 (133).
↑ Article “Substance”, in: Jürgen Mittelstraß (ed.), Encyclopedia Philosophy and Philosophy of Science. Vol. 4, Metzler: Stuttgart / Weimar, 1996, 133-136 (135).

[1] See Kant, Critique of Pure Reason , section “First Analogy of Experience” quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587: “But it is the substrate everything real, ie belonging to the existence of things, the substance, [...]. "

[2] "Substance, [...], what exists, what exists for itself in contrast to what is dependent [...] (° Akzidenz), what persists in contrast to what changes." (Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587).

[3] Duden - The foreign dictionary . 7th edition: Mannheim, 2001 [CD-ROM].

[4] Cf. substantial = "1. concerning the substance (1), material, material. 2. concerning the substance (4), belonging to it, making it up. 3. concerning the substance (3) of a thing, essential . 4. (obsolete) nourishing, substantial. 5. (Philos.) Wesenhaft "( Duden - The Foreign Dictionary . 7th edition. Mannheim, 2001. [CD-ROM] - The numbers behind the word" substance "refer to the different meanings of this word given in the dictionary in question).

[5] Article Substantive Derivation : "The word substantial indicates that one is 'bound' to a 'substance' / mass / fluid."

[6] Jens Halfenwassen, [Section I of the article] “ Substance; Substance / Akzidens ”, in: Joachim Ritter / Karlfried Founder , Historical Dictionary of Philosophy , Schwabe: Basel, 1998, Sp. 495–507 (495).

[7] to: Latin substare = to be present in or under something; from: sub = under u. stare = stand ( Duden - German Universal Dictionary , Mannheim, 5th edition: 2003 [CD-ROM]).

[8] Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical term , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587.

[9] See already FN 1 and below under FN 8.

[10] Both quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophical Concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587.

[11] Critique of pure reason , section “First analogy of experience” quoted from Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical concept , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587

[12] Johannes Hoffmeister (ed.), Dictionary of the philosophical term , Meiner: Hamburg, 2nd edition: 1955, 587 - Hv. OK

[13] Jürgen Mittelstraß, article "Substance", in: Jürgen Mittelstraß (ed.), Encyclopedia Philosophy and Philosophy of Science . Vol. 4, Metzler: Stuttgart / Weimar, 1996, 133-136 (133).

[14] Article “Substance”, in: Jürgen Mittelstraß (ed.), Encyclopedia Philosophy and Philosophy of Science. Vol. 4, Metzler: Stuttgart / Weimar, 1996, 133-136 (135).