Abstract

Everson has argued that material change does occur in the perceiving sense organ; the final chapter consists of his argument that material changes are a crucial part of the explanation of perceptual awareness of the organ. Whenever there is a formal change, Everson argues, there will also be a material change,, and these determine formal changes. Everson concludes, then, that Aristotle accepts explanatory physicalism, or the thesis that all perpetual events can be explained by reference to material alterations that determine those events. Everson argues that this thesis, despite appearances, is compatible with hypothetical necessity. In conclusion, Everson argues that neither functionalism, nor supervenience, can account adequately for explanatory physicalism.