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Single Idea 11117

[filed under theme 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / d. Individuation by haecceity ]

Full Idea

Properties of 'being such and such specific entity' are often called 'haecceities', but this term carries the connotation of non-qualitativeness which I don't favour.

Gist of Idea

Haecceities implausibly have no qualities

Source

Michael Jubien (Analyzing Modality [2007], 2)

Book Ref

'Oxford Studies in Metaphysics vol.3', ed/tr. Zimmerman,Dean W. [OUP 2007], p.111

A Reaction

The way he defines it makes it sound as if it was a category, but I take it to be more like a bare individual essence. If it has not qualities then it has no causal powers, so there could be no evidence for its existence.

The 14 ideas from 'Analyzing Modality'

11108 Your properties, not some other world, decide your possibilities [Jubien]
11111 Modal truths are facts about parts of this world, not about remote maximal entities [Jubien]
11105 We have no idea how many 'possible worlds' there might be [Jubien]
11107 If there are no other possible worlds, do we then exist necessarily? [Jubien]
11106 If all possible worlds just happened to include stars, their existence would be necessary [Jubien]
11112 Possible worlds just give parallel contingencies, with no explanation at all of necessity [Jubien]
11109 If other worlds exist, then they are scattered parts of the actual world [Jubien]
11113 Worlds don't explain necessity; we use necessity to decide on possible worlds [Jubien]
11110 We mustn't confuse a similar person with the same person [Jubien]
11116 Being a physical object is our most fundamental category [Jubien]
11117 Haecceities implausibly have no qualities [Jubien]
11115 'All horses' either picks out the horses, or the things which are horses [Jubien]
11118 Modal propositions transcend the concrete, but not the actual [Jubien]
11119 De re necessity is just de dicto necessity about object-essences [Jubien]