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Aristotle Help

I'm studying Aristotle's philosophy and I'm not sure if I learnt it incorrectly or otherwise but I'm getting confused about these things:

1.

Prime matter

2.

Proximal matter

3.

Form

4.

Essence



My notes say that prime matter is what is left when all form is removed and any properties that it has are accidental to it. We cannot experience/observe prime matter because it always takes up a form when it comes into being and is thus impossible but theoretically necessary.

Form is what matter takes up when a universal comes into being.

Then my notes say that essence is what a substance is without any accidental properties. So doesn't this mean that essence is the same as prime matter?

As for proximal matter, I can't find any proper definition of it so it's getting me confused.

Any clarifications would be very helpful :smile:
Reply 1
Do you mean Proximate Matter?

This is the only sentence I could find that explained it to an extent that I could understand it

"Proximate matter is matter that has some properties, such as wood, cells and electronic components."

Someone with a better understanding of metaphysics can probably help you better :tongue:

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