Actuality
Actuality refers to the realized or manifested state of being, as opposed to mere potential. In metaphysical discourse, especially in Aristotelian philosophy, actuality (energeia or entelecheia) is a key concept used to explain the process of becoming and being.
According to Aristotle, all beings exist in a dynamic state of potentiality and actuality. A thing moves from potentiality (what it can be) to actuality (what it is). For example, an acorn has the potential to become an oak tree. When it grows into a tree, that potential is actualized. Hence, actuality is the fulfillment of potential.
In this framework, actuality is associated with form, purpose, and function. It represents the end state or the telos for which something exists. It is also linked to motion and change, as change itself is the actualization of a potential state.
In contemporary metaphysics, the term also appears in discussions of modal logic, where actuality refers to the state of affairs in the actual world, in contrast with possible worlds. Thus, actuality is not just a state of being but the most complete expression of what something is meant to be.