Handbook of mereology

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This Handbook of Mereology serves as the first comprehensive reference for part-whole relations, a project initiated by Burkhardt and Seibt over a decade ago. It aims to present a thorough overview of contemporary research that highlights systematic, historical, and interdisciplinary trajectories, showcasing the subject's richness and inspiring future inquiries. The editors emphasize that mereology extends beyond axiomatized reasoning systems; the part-whole relationship is a fundamental cognitive schema influencing language processing, sensory input, and our interaction with the world. Part-whole relations are integral to organizing research across data domains, methods, and theories, shaping our perceptions and thoughts as individuals and societies. The study of these relations predates the formal inquiries of early 20th-century logicians and encompasses a broader scope. The editors believe the diverse contributions in this volume will illuminate mereology's significance in various philosophical fields, including logic, ontology, biology, chemistry, quantum physics, ethics, and cognition. Additionally, the Handbook is relevant to researchers in disciplines such as linguistics, cognitive science, and psychology, offering valuable insights into part-whole relations. It includes entries on the meta-mathematical aspects of formal mereology, linguistic complexities, and historical perspectives, particularly from the medieval per