Conclusion

After briefly summarizing each of the chapters as well as the main results reached in this study, the Conclusion points to several worthwhile topics for future research which were left open along the way: (i) to extend the doctrine of hylomorphism beyond the specific case of concrete particular objects; (ii) to clarify further the relationship between metaphysics and science particularly as it pertains to the hylomorphic approach to matter; (iii) to provide additional independent considerations in order to narrow down further the ontological category to which forms should be assigned; (iv) to advance our understanding of the relationship between necessity and essence, construed non-modally; and (v) to refine our conception of essentialism and anti-essentialism in the service of developing an adequate hylomorphic treatment of artifacts. Overall, it is argued that the results of this study allow us to classify matter-form compounds as being more deserving of substance status than other types of composite entities, due at least in part to their highly unified nature.