Category of matter – one of the most multiple-valued concepts of philosophy. Understanding of this term and its place in the general structure of philosophical concepts in many respects defines a world outlook of the person. Content of this category changed over time, following development of science and being enriched in process of accumulation of knowledge of a peace arrangement.
Modern understanding of matter
Classical definition of matter was given by Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), developing the representations which developed to it in Marxist philosophy. It designated matter as the philosophical category intended for designation of objective reality. This reality is given to the person in feelings, displayed and copied by people, but exists irrespective of sense organs.
On the representations accepted in materialistic tradition, matter is formed of a set of all objects and systems existing in the world. It is a fundamental principle, substrate of all set of communications, the relations, properties and forms of motion. Matter represents not only all objects available to direct observation in the nature, but also those which can be found subsequently at improvement of tools of an experiment and observation.
The world surrounding the person – the matter which is in the incessant movement, passing from one form into another.
Such point of view resists to idealistic understanding of a peace arrangement according to which a fundamental principle of the universe is a certain divine will, absolute spirit or the individual human consciousness which is torn off from a brain and existing in itself. Matter in idealistic philosophy becomes only an appendage of absolute spirit, a pale print of the comprehensive world idea.
Matter – a fundamental principle of the developing world
Matter and the objects entering it have internal structure, the system organization and orderliness. It is shown in natural development and interaction of all material objects that allows them to unite in the systems of various level. Modern scientific representations allow to claim that at the lowest level of the structure of matter fields and elementary particles of which macroscopic bodies, planets, stars and their systems consist are located.
All Universe in general which borders and structure so far are up to the end not established also consists of matter.
Within the planet Earth exists live and social and organized matter. Emergence of these forms of matter became result of its natural and natural development. All live matter – difficult set of organisms, capable in self-reproduction. One of properties of this form of matter – natural transition to its highest form assuming existence of ability to think. The human individuals allocated with ability consciously to reflect and transform the world around, make social and organized matter, the highest form of development of life.