processual entity

A processual entity is an occurrent — something that exists by happening over time — as opposed to a continuant that persists through time. It has temporal parts and always depends on some other entity to occur.

A continuant (like an organ) persists through time while remaining the same entity. A processual entity, by contrast, unfolds over time through its temporal parts, such as a heartbeat or a metabolic process.

Biological processual entities include physiological processes like respiration, digestion, nerve impulse propagation, and cell division — all of which occur over time and depend on underlying anatomical structures.