Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / What is the role of the subatomic

**Posted by RomanJoe** 2/28/2018 10:50 pm

A user posted a thread awhile back about reductionism and forms. I can't recall where that discussion went and don't feel like going through all the posts at the moment. However, this brings up an interesting question. As I'm becoming more acquainted with essentialism and hylemorphism I'm beginning to wonder what role does the subatomic serve? Can we even say a substance has a subatomic structure if it only exists virtually? I find this fascinating, figuring out the role of microscopic structures within the substance as a whole and all of its higher level features.

*Grammar nazi* the thread title should have a question mark.

Last edited by RomanJoe (2/28/2018 10:59 pm)

**Posted by Camoden** 3/01/2018 5:02 pm

It gives us some knowledge of the formal behaviors of a thing. It just is not reducible to them. It also helps us know the similarities that things have by sharing certain constituent building blocks. This is particularly important in Chemistry I imagine, although I cannot say I am a Chemist.

**Posted by RomanJoe** 3/01/2018 5:31 pm

Camoden wrote:
It gives us some knowledge of the formal behaviors of a thing. It just is not reducible to them. It also helps us know the similarities that things have by sharing certain constituent building blocks. This is particularly important in Chemistry I imagine, although I cannot say I am a Chemist.

Do you think the subatomic is just a mathematical structure we abstract from the wholeness of a substance? I know the reductionist contra the essentialist will claim just the opposite, that the subatomic is the substance.