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Single Idea 14979

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 4. Intrinsic Properties ]

Full Idea

The property of 'being alone in the world' is an extrinsic property, even though it has had by an object that is alone in the world.

Gist of Idea

Being alone doesn't guarantee intrinsic properties; 'being alone' is itself extrinsic

Source

report of David Lewis (Extrinsic Properties [1983]) by Theodore Sider - Writing the Book of the World 01.2

Book Ref

Sider,Theodore: 'Writing the Book of the World' [OUP 2011], p.4

A Reaction

I always choke on my cornflakes whenever anyone cites a true predicate as if it were a genuine property. This is a counterexample to Idea 14978. Sider offers another more elaborate example from Lewis.

Related Idea

Idea 14978 A property is intrinsic if an object alone in the world can instantiate it [Sider]

The 18 ideas with the same theme [properties that involve no other objects]:

18910 To seek truth, study the real connections between subjects and attributes [Aristotle]
15874 Scientific properties are not observed qualities, but the dispositions which create them [Harré]
15456 Extrinsic properties, unlike intrinsics, imply the existence of a separate object [Kim, by Lewis]
15400 We must avoid circularity between what is intrinsic and what is natural [Lewis, by Cameron]
15458 A property is 'intrinsic' iff it can never differ between duplicates [Lewis]
15459 Ellipsoidal stars seem to have an intrinsic property which depends on other objects [Lewis]
14979 Being alone doesn't guarantee intrinsic properties; 'being alone' is itself extrinsic [Lewis, by Sider]
15454 Extrinsic properties come in degrees, with 'brother' less extrinsic than 'sibling' [Lewis]
15742 A disjunctive property can be unnatural, but intrinsic if its disjuncts are intrinsic [Lewis]
15741 All of the natural properties are included among the intrinsic properties [Lewis]
15397 If a global intrinsic never varies between possible duplicates, all necessary properties are intrinsic [Cameron on Lewis]
15398 Global intrinsic may make necessarily coextensive properties both intrinsic or both extrinsic [Cameron on Lewis]
15435 If you think universals are immanent, you must believe them to be sparse, and not every related predicate [Lewis]
14093 An 'intrinsic' property is one that depends on a thing and its parts, and not on its relations [Rosen]
6145 Intrinsic properties are those an object still has even if only that object exists [Merricks]
14088 An 'intrinsic' property is either found in every duplicate, or exists independent of all externals [Linnebo]
15401 Essentialists say intrinsic properties arise from what the thing is, irrespective of surroundings [Cameron]
15393 An object's intrinsic properties are had in virtue of how it is, independently [Cameron]