Substance, Process, and Emptiness: Aristotle, Whitehead, and Zen

In this chapter, first , the philosophy of Whitehead, especially his notion of ‘process,’ will be discussed in relation to the age-old notion of ‘substance” in Western philosophy, particularly Aristotle. Second , I will analyze the notion of ‘process’ in regard to its affinities and differences from the Buddhist notion of ‘emptiness.’ Third , and finally, the Buddhist notion of ‘emptiness’ will be elucidated in comparison with the notions of ‘substance’ and ‘process.’ Accordingly, this chapter is a comparative study of three important philosophical categories, ‘substance,’ ‘process’ and ‘emptiness.’ It is not, however, intended to be a mere comparison of the philosophical doctrines of Aristotle and Whitehead and the teaching of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It is rather concerned with the question ‘What is the ultimate Reality for human beings?” This question underlies the above three systems of thought, and has always been central to humankind. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.