Is a whole something more than the sum of its parts? Are there things composed of the same parts? If you divide an object into parts, and divide those parts into smaller parts, will this process ever come to an end? Can something lose parts or gain new ones without ceasing to be the thing it is? Does any multitude of things (including disparate things such as you, this book, and the tail of a cat) compose a whole of some sort? Questions such as these have occupied us for at least as long as philosophy has existed. They define the field that has come to be known as mereology-the study of all relations of part to whole and of part to part within a whole-and have deep and far-reaching ramifications in metaphysics as well as in logic, the foundations of mathematics, the philosophy of language, the philosophy of science, and beyond. In Mereology, A. J. Cotnoir and Achille C. Varzi have compiled decades of advanced research into a comprehensive, up-to-date, and formally rigorous
picture. The early chapters cover the more classical aspects of mereology; the rest of the book deals with variants and extensions. Whether you are an established professional philosopher, an interested student, or a newcomer, inside you will find all the tools you need to join this ever-evolving field of inquiry and theorize about all things mereological.
Industry Reviews
a worthy update * Jim Mackenzie, zb Math Open *
Recomended * W. Simkulet, CHOICE *
This long-awaited book is a gem. It is a comprehensive survey of the state of the art in the theory of parts and wholes, particularly as work on that topic is carried on in philosophy and logic...This is a work that is clear, careful, and judicious...interesting and engaging...a must-have work, not just for those primarily concerned with mereology, but for anyone who finds the theory of parts and wholes relevant for their thinking. Cotnoir and Varzi have done the profession a great service. This book will serve as the new standard and touchstone for work in mereology for decades to come. * Daniel Nolan, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *