Single Idea 16263

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties]

Full Idea

If one believes that fundamental physics is the place to look for the truths about universals (or tropes or natural sets), then one may find that physics is telling us there are no such things.

Gist of Idea

Fundamental physics seems to suggest there are no such things as properties

Source

Tim Maudlin (The Metaphysics within Physics [2007], 3.2)

Book Reference

Maudlin,Tim: 'The Metaphysics within Physics' [OUP 2007], p.96


A Reaction

His prior discussion of quantum chromodynamics suggests, to me, merely that properties can be described in terms of vectors etc., and remains neutral on the ontology - but then I am blinded by science.

Related Idea

Idea 16262 Sparse properties rest either on universals, or on tropes, or on primitive naturalness [Lewis, by Maudlin]