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Single Idea 15394

[filed under theme 3. Truth / B. Truthmakers / 5. What Makes Truths / c. States of affairs make truths ]

Full Idea

The most popular view is that an object is a truthmaker if the object couldn't exist and the truth be false. But contingent predications are also held to need truthmakers. Socrates is not necessarily snub-nosed, so a trope or state of affairs is needed.

Gist of Idea

Truthmaker requires a commitment to tropes or states of affairs, for contingent truths

Source

Ross P. Cameron (Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties [2009], 'Truthmakers')

Book Ref

'Routledge Companion to Metaphysics', ed/tr. Le Poidevin/Simons etc [Routledge 2012], p.267


A Reaction

Cameron calls this 'some heavy ontological commitments'. If snub-nosedness is necessitated by the trope of 'being snub-nosed', what is the truthmaker for Socrates having that trope?


The 5 ideas from 'Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties'

Essentialists say intrinsic properties arise from what the thing is, irrespective of surroundings [Cameron]
An object's intrinsic properties are had in virtue of how it is, independently [Cameron]
Most criteria for identity over time seem to leave two later objects identical to the earlier one [Cameron]
Give up objects necessitating truths, and say their natures cause the truths? [Cameron]
Truthmaker requires a commitment to tropes or states of affairs, for contingent truths [Cameron]