Question:

Consider the statement: “This is a dragon”. How could this, mentioned in the statement, be instantiated as a description of Aristotle’s notion of substance?

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For Aristotle, substances are primarily individual things (particulars) rather than universals.
Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • A particular
  • A universal that helps in identifying the particular
  • The particular which defies the presence of itself
  • A universal that represents the Whole
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understand Aristotle's notion of substance.
Aristotle defines "substance" (ousia) primarily as something that is a particular, individual entity — not a universal.

Step 2: Identify how “this” functions in the statement.
In the phrase “This is a dragon”, the word “this” refers to a concrete, individual entity — not a class or type of thing.

Step 3: Conclusion.
So “this” is best understood as a reference to a particular — aligning with Aristotle's primary substance (an individual object). Therefore, the correct answer is (A).
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