Single Idea 8967

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 3. Predicate Nominalism]

Full Idea

We cannot assume that every meaningful predicate necessarily expresses a property that some entity could possess. The predicate 'is non-self-exemplifying' is meaningful, yet it would be contradictory for there to be any such property.

Clarification

The predicate comes from Russell's Paradox (Ideas 6407 and 7701)

Gist of Idea

Not all predicates can be properties - 'is non-self-exemplifying', for example

Source

E.J. Lowe (Individuation [2003])

Book Reference

'The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics', ed/tr. Loux,M /Zimmerman,D [OUP 2005], p.87


A Reaction

This clinches what I would take to be a foregone conclusion - that you can't know what the world contains just by examining the predicates of the English language. However, I suppose predicates are needed to know properties.