The Two Principles of Individuality

In the Aristotelian system, the Essence of something--'what' it is--is ultimately derived from the thing's Purpose, in accordance with which a Form is imposed on inert Matter. In contrast, in Formaterialism, the Essence of anything is the particular way that the Formal Principle--Becoming-the-Same, and the Material Principle--Becoming-Diverse, combine, there being infinite possible ways they can combine. Now, Individuality is achieved with the awareness of one's own Particularity qua Particularity. This insight is not merely a passive experience (as, notably, Spinoza seems to have it, but a recombination of the two Principles, effecting a transformative activaation, as well (which could be read into Spinoza, if his Political theory were taken as a continuation of his Ethics). One distinctive characteristic of this transformation is the establishment of an Inside and an Outside with respect to the entity. So, a type of Becoming-Diverse that seems distinctive of an Individual is a process of Externalization, and, likewise, that of Becoming-the-Same is a process of Internalization. More precisely, I am calling the Material Principle of an Individual 'Exposition', and its Formal Principle, 'Appropriation', both to be considered as dynamic. I will henceforth be explaining these in more detail.