The Corpuscularian Philosophy

Abstract

Perceived things have extension, solidity, weight, warmth, colour, shape, taste, smell and sonic qualities, not to mention those properties which only instruments can detect. The problem for the constructors of any general conceptual system is to decide which, if any, of the qualities perceived in objects or the properties detected by instruments make up the ‘thing-hood’ of the basic individuals of the general conceptual system, what are in fact the fundamental and real properties of the material world. Should we adopt all the qualities of the objects we perceive or should we make some selection from these, or should we drop perceived qualities altogether from our general conceptual system and rely only on what our instruments detect?