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Single Idea 15566

[filed under theme 7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 4. Events / a. Nature of events ]

Full Idea

If events are classes, as I propose, then they have a mereology in the way that all classes do: the parts of a class are its subclasses.

Gist of Idea

Events are classes, and so there is a mereology of their parts

Source

David Lewis (Events [1986], V)

Book Ref

Lewis,David: 'Philosophical Papers Vol.2' [OUP 1986], p.258


A Reaction

Lewis says events are properties, which he regards as classes. It is not clear that events are strictly mereological. Could one happening be two events? Is WWII a simple sum of its parts? [see p.260]


The 7 ideas from 'Events'

The events that suit semantics may not be the events that suit causation [Lewis]
Causation is a general relation derived from instances of causal dependence [Lewis]
An event is a property of a unique space-time region [Lewis]
Properties are very abundant (unlike universals), and are used for semantics and higher-order variables [Lewis]
Events have inbuilt essences, as necessary conditions for their occurrence [Lewis]
Events are classes, and so there is a mereology of their parts [Lewis]
Some events involve no change; they must, because causal histories involve unchanges [Lewis]