Substance theory explained to kids

Substance theory, or substance attribute theory, is an ontological theory about objecthood, positing that a substance is distinct from its properties. A thing-in-itself is a property-bearer that must be distinguished from the properties it bears. According to substance theory, a substance is an independent, existing thing. This means that a substance can exist without its properties. For example, a human being can exist without being tall, or being happy. A substance can also have different properties at different times. For example, a human being can be tall at one time, and then not tall at another time. The ontological status of substances and properties has been debated by philosophers for centuries. One of the main arguments against substance theory is that it is not clear how substances could exist independently of their properties. For example, it is not clear how a human being could exist without properties such as height, or happiness. Another argument against substance theory is that it seems to imply that there are things-in-themselves that are completely unknown to us. This is because, according to substance theory, substances are independent of their properties. This means that we can never know what a substance is really like, since we can only know its properties. Despite these arguments, substance theory remains a popular ontological theory, especially among philosophers of mind. This is because substance theory provides a simple and elegant way of understanding the relationship between our mental states and the physical world.