Peculiar entities

My research explores the complex history of hylomorphism – the theory that all physical entities are composed of matter and form – and its transformation across distinct philosophical traditions during the long Middle Ages. A central focus of my work is the fragmentation of scholastic hylomorphism: the emergence of competing models, new conceptualisations of matter and materiality, and the growing tension between metaphysical universality and physical particularity. My recent research expands this inquiry to include comparative perspectives, highlighting resonances and divergences between scholastic hylomorphism and Chinese metaphysical thought, particularly 宋明理学 (also known as Neo-Confucianism).

©️Nicola Polloni | Latest update: April 2026