Certainly, let's compare and contrast the philosophical concepts of potency and act and provide

references for further reading:

**Comparison: Potency and Act**

1. **Nature**:

- *Potency*: Potency refers to the potential or capacity for change or actualization within an entity. It
represents what something can become.

- *Act*: Act signifies the realization or actual state of being, the fulfillment of a potential. It represents
what something currently is.

2. **Change**:

- *Potency*: Potency is associated with the potential for change, growth, or transformation. It is the
capacity for something to evolve or become something different.

- *Act*: Act denotes the state of being that results from a change or the realization of potential. It
represents the outcome of a process.

3. **Duality**:

- *Potency*: Potency and act are often considered dual aspects of an entity. Potency reflects what is
not yet realized, while act represents what has been realized.

- *Act*: Act is the state of realization, the expression of an entity's potential, and it contrasts with the
state of potency.

4. **Dependency**:

- *Potency*: Potency is often dependent on external factors or causes to be actualized. It relies on the
presence of certain conditions or events.

- *Act*: Act represents the outcome of a process that may depend on various factors, but once
achieved, it is independent and self-sustaining.
5. **Inherent Characteristics**:

- *Potency*: Potency is associated with inherent, unrealized characteristics or abilities that are
essential to the nature of an entity.

- *Act*: Act is associated with the actualization of inherent characteristics or abilities, reflecting the
entity's true nature.

**Contrast: Potency and Act**

1. **State of Being**:

- *Potency*: Potency is a state of potentiality, a state of becoming.

- *Act*: Act is a state of actuality, a state of being.

2. **Change and Stasis**:

- *Potency*: Potency involves the potential for change and transformation.

- *Act*: Act represents a state of relative stability and equilibrium, as what has been actualized is
stable until further change occurs.

3. **Dependency and Independence**:

- *Potency*: Potency depends on external factors, conditions, or agents to be actualized.

- *Act*: Act, once achieved, is self-sustaining and independent.

4. **Philosophical Traditions**:

- *Potency*: The concepts of potency and act have a significant place in Aristotelian philosophy.

- *Act*: These concepts are foundational in the metaphysical thought of Aristotle and later
philosophers influenced by his work.

**References**:
1. Aristotle. (trans. J. Barnes). "Metaphysics." Hackett Publishing Company, 1984.

2. Thomas Aquinas. (trans. E. Gilson). "Summa Theologica." Christian Classics, 1981.

The concepts of potency and act have been influential in the history of philosophy, particularly in
metaphysical discussions about change, potential, and the nature of being. They continue to be explored
and debated in contemporary philosophical thought.