Aristotelian vs. Contemporary Perspectives on Relations

This chapter examines a longstanding tradition in philosophy according to which relations are to be understood in terms of individuals and their monadic properties. This tradition enjoyed ascendancy in the West prior to the twentieth century, has its roots in antiquity, especially in the work of Aristotle, and received its most sustained development and careful defense at the hands of philosophers during the Middle Ages. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a systematic introduction to the types of theory characteristic of this tradition and to demonstrate that they are much more subtle and sophisticated than contemporary philosophers have appreciated.