Is that my heart? A hylomorphic account of bodily parthood.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Pruss, Alexander R. | |
| dc.creator | Yancey, Hilary J., 1990- | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-09-09T13:45:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-09-09T13:45:53Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2020-05 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2020-03-19 | |
| dc.date.submitted | May 2020 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2020-09-09T13:45:53Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation investigates the metaphysics of human body parts; particularly, the epistemic conditions under which something can be said to be a “body part of” some particular human being. In this dissertation I draw on the hylomorphism of Aristotle and John Duns Scotus to argue that a necessary and sufficient condition on human bodily parthood is an object’s functioning for the sake of the whole human being and the maintenance of her biological life. I argue that, on this view of bodily parthood, at least some prostheses or artificial organs (“artificial body parts”) are truly body parts of the human beings in whom they operate. I defend this view in reference to both Aristotelian and Scotistic hylomorphism, as well as answering objections raised by some contemporary views of bodily parthood as merely conventional. I argue that this has important implications for medical ethics, including potentially restricting medical interventions in end-of-life care and heightening the legal ramification of damage done to prostheses. I argue that investigation into the metaphysical questions surrounding body parts and their composition can illuminate hitherto underappreciated dimensions of ethical questions in medicine. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/2104/11060 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights.accessrights | Worldwide access | |
| dc.subject | Metaphysics. Medical ethics. Hylomorphism. Aristotle. Artificial body parts. John Duns Scotus. Human person. | |
| dc.title | Is that my heart? A hylomorphic account of bodily parthood. | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | Baylor University. Dept. of Philosophy. | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Baylor University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Doctoral | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. |
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