A Treatment of Hylomorphism(s)

My thesis discusses a hylomorphic theory of composition, contrasting hylomorphism with physicalism on the one hand and Cartesian substance dualism on the other. Hylomorphism can be a slippery theory or family of theories to work with, so I proceed to a treatment of the terms and concepts which hylomorphic theories employ, and attempt to address some of the most immediate questions and obscurities that arise. Examples include the nature of forms as understood by hylomorphists, or the meaning of “prime matter.” Next, I elaborate the differences between several contemporary articulations of hylomorphism, with special attention to the debate between corruptionism and survivalism. After that, my thesis examines the strength of the motivation for hylomorphic accounts generally, and concludes with an evaluation of what hylomorphism has to offer.