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Full Idea
The property of being an ellipsoidal star would seem offhand to be a basic intrinsic property, but it is incompatible (nomologically) with being an isolated object.
Clarification
'Nomological' refers to the laws of nature
Gist of Idea
Ellipsoidal stars seem to have an intrinsic property which depends on other objects
Source
David Lewis (Defining 'Intrinsic' (with Rae Langton) [1998], V)
Book Ref
Lewis,David: 'Papers in Metaphysics and Epistemology' [CUP 1999], p.122
A Reaction
Another nice example from Lewis. It makes you wonder whether the intrinsic/extrinsic distinction should go. Modern physics, with its 'entanglements', doesn't seem to suit the distinction.
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] |
15457 | Interdefinition is useless by itself, but if we grasp one separately, we have them both [Lewis] |
15459 | Ellipsoidal stars seem to have an intrinsic property which depends on other objects [Lewis] |