Single Idea 8572

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 6. Categorical Properties]

Full Idea

Any class of things, be it ever so gerrymandered and miscellaneous and indescribable in thought and language, and be it ever so superfluous in characterizing the world, is nevertheless a property.

Clarification

'Gerrymandered' means whimsical and peculiar

Gist of Idea

Any class of things is a property, no matter how whimsical or irrelevant

Source

David Lewis (New work for a theory of universals [1983], 'Un and Prop')

Book Reference

'Properties', ed/tr. Mellor,D.H. /Oliver,A [OUP 1997], p.191


A Reaction

I much prefer, at the very least, the sparse approach of Armstrong, and in fact would vote for Shoemaker's highly physical view. Lewis proceeds after this to try to pick out the properties that really matter.