Fourth century BCE

Aristotle — Matter and form, potentiality and actuality

Can the move from potentiality to actuality explain how something changes while remaining itself?

Evidence-backed account

Aristotle distinguishes the matter composing an individual substance from the form by which that matter constitutes a functioning whole.

Open evidence

This is an evidence-linked editorial paraphrase, not a direct quotation.

Aristotle's Metaphysics
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Locator: §12 Actuality and Potentiality, first paragraph
Open source

He extends the distinction between potentiality (dunamis) and actuality or activity (energeia) to explain change across time.

Open evidence

This is an evidence-linked editorial paraphrase, not a direct quotation.

Aristotle's Metaphysics
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Locator: §12 Actuality and Potentiality; Metaphysics Θ.1
Open source