Author Description
More than at any other time in human history, we live in an age defined by movement and mobility; and yet, we lack a unifying theory which takes this seriously as a starting point for philosophy. The history of philosophy has systematically explained movement as derived from something else that does not move: space, eternity, force, and time. Why, when movement has always been central to human societies, did a philosophy based on movement never take hold? This book finally overturns this long-standing metaphysical tradition by placing movement at the heart of philosophy. In doing so, Being and Motion provides a completely new understanding of the most fundamental categories of ontology from a movement-oriented perspective: quality, quantity, relation, modality, and others. It also provides the first history of the philosophy of motion, from early prehistoric mythologies up to contemporary ontologies. Through its systematic ontology of movement, Being and Motion provides a path-breaking historical ontology of our present.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How can philosophy be reconstructed if movement, rather than static entities, is established as the primary ontological starting point? Thomas Nail, a professor of philosophy, argues that the history of Western thought has consistently subordinated movement to static categories like space or time. He proposes a new systematic ontology that redefines fundamental concepts—such as quality, quantity, and relation—by centering them on the primacy of motion.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive historical survey of motion in philosophy from prehistoric mythologies to contemporary thought.
- A re-evaluation of classical ontological categories including modality, relation, and quantity.
- A theoretical framework for understanding modern society through the lens of mobility.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a practical guide for social policy or political activism.
- It does not engage deeply with empirical physics or biological studies of motion, focusing instead on metaphysical and ontological inquiry.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and readers frequently note the high level of academic density and the ambitious scope of Nail's project. Experts in contemporary continental philosophy highlight this text as a significant contribution to the field of process philosophy and historical ontology.
Page Count:
539
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190908939
ISBN-13:
9780190908935
Philosophy
Social Theory
Metaphysics
Ontology
Philosophy history
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