Single Idea 16413

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 7. Against Metaphysics]

Full Idea

Material science has found that some features of metals make them more susceptible to corrosion but more resistant to fracture. Thus this immediately implies that there are features, i.e. properties. What is left for metaphysics to do?

Gist of Idea

Science has discovered properties of things, so there are properties - so who needs metaphysics?

Source

Thomas Hofweber (Ambitious, yet modest, Metaphysics [2009], 1.1)

Book Reference

'Metametaphysics', ed/tr. Chalmers/Manley/Wasserman [OUP 2009], p.261


A Reaction

Presumably economists have discovered 'features' of economies that cause unemployment, and literary critics have discovered 'features' of novels that make them good.

Related Idea

Idea 16414 Science needs metaphysics to weed out its presuppositions [Lowe, by Hofweber]