Single Idea 8285

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 13. Tropes / a. Nature of tropes]

Full Idea

Some philosophers call particularised properties of objects 'tropes', but I prefer the older term 'mode' (or 'individual accident'), because this term rightly has the implication that such entities are existentially dependent ones, depending on objects.

Gist of Idea

I prefer 'modes' to 'tropes', because it emphasises their dependence

Source

E.J. Lowe (The Possibility of Metaphysics [1998], 8.3)

Book Reference

Lowe,E.J.: 'The Possibility of Metaphysics' [OUP 2001], p.181


A Reaction

A nice illustration of the fact that philosophical terminology is not as metaphysically innocent as it sometimes pretends to be. I agree with Lowe.