Habit unites change with the preservation of its modifications.

Evidence

For Aristotle, habit implies the aptitude for change, along with the possibility of preserving the modifications inherent in such change. As the Eudemian Ethics explains, if we throw a stone many times in the same direction, it will not keep a single trace of each alteration of place: ‘The body remains always the same with reference to this motion, even if it has been marked on it one hundred times.’ — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 494

Categorization

• DEFINE: Aristotle’s definition of habit as change plus preservation of change — the stone example establishes what habit is not (mere repeated motion).
• XREF: The stone-throwing example directly parallels the plasticity idea that only living matter preserves its modifications — a bridge to modern neuroplasticity. — connects to: Alteration has a privative and a conserving sense — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel: Plasticity,…, 447; Forms, capacities and habits remain unchanged while their substrate changes. — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel: Plasticity,…, 497; Habit is the organic being’s effort to maintain unity through synthesizing differences (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Habit is the preservation of a first modification without repetition of the modification #corroborates (0.92) — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 502
• Habit transforms contingent acts into essential determinations of being. #expands (0.85) — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 601
• Habit is an intentionally-produced alteration that defines how humans acquire form #qualifies (0.75)
• Transformative change is gradual within continuities, not clean breaks #exemplifies (0.72)
• Habits are acquired socially and deeply rooted, not instinctive #expands (0.70) — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Democracy in Black, 164