Whitehead on perishing

Abstract

This article deals with the problem of cessation in Whitehead’s philosophy. By focusing on his Process and Reality, but also on his other works, different temporal, mereological and other aspects of perishing are analyzed, with special attention to the annihilation of subjective directness. The article also focuses on the complementary character of creation and cessation, by taking into consideration the various (subjective, objective, superjective or divine) layers of cessation. By relying upon the critical reception of Whitehead, the article formulates certain dilemmas with regard to the status of ceased events or entities, and also in relation to the general possibility and the discreet character of perishing.

Keywords

• whitehead
• metaphysics
• annihilation
• perishing
• becoming
• time
• mereology
• actual being