gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; Ian, "continuant" is not a natural kind, a term of nature; it is a
&gt; &gt; &gt; term which is only meaningful within one philosophical approach to
&gt; &gt; &gt; ontology. There are other approaches, and I agree with 
&gt; Matthew that
&gt; &gt; &gt; the 4-d one is of considerably greater utility. (It is (still) the
&gt; &gt; &gt; only ontological framework within which one can even begin to
&gt; &gt; &gt; describe fluids adequately, for example, and it is the basic
&gt; &gt; &gt; frame