Introduction
This essay is an exploration of the ontological landscape of reality. Its
aim is to construct an ontological theory which will do justice to reality,
and more precisely to those portions or levels of reality which are captured
in our ordinary, common-sense or 'folk' conceptual scheme. We shall accordingly
take as our starting point such examples of individual substances
or continuants as human beings, oxen, logs of wood, icebergs, planets. In
addition to substances the theory will have a place also for individual
accidents smiles, suntans, pains, beliefs which inhere in
substances, and also for essential parts of both substances and accidents,
such as the humanity which is an essential part of you, and the coloredness
and extendedness which are essential parts of the redness of Rudolf's nose.
Our theory of this ordinary reality will, accordingly, be broadly Aristotelian
in spirit.