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Single Idea 15739

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 10. Properties as Predicates ]

Full Idea

The abundant properties far outrun the predicates of any language we could possibly possess. ...Properties are as abundant as the sets, because for any set whatever, there is the property of belonging to that set.

Gist of Idea

There is the property of belonging to a set, so abundant properties are as numerous as the sets

Source

David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 1.5)

Book Ref

Lewis,David: 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [Blackwell 2001], p.59

A Reaction

The idea of calling such things 'properties' strikes me as preposterous, but it is interesting that we confront truths which outrun our predicates. We can't have all of these predicates together, but there is no impediment to any one of them.

The 30 ideas with the same theme [properties as purely linguistic concepts]:

10956 If we only saw bronze circles, would bronze be part of the concept of a circle? [Aristotle]
10317 It is unclear whether Frege included qualities among his abstract objects [Frege, by Hale]
4028 Frege allows either too few properties (as extensions) or too many (as predicates) [Mellor/Oliver on Frege]
8534 Quine says the predicate of a true statement has no ontological implications [Quine, by Armstrong]
15804 If some dogs are brown, that entails the properties of 'being brown' and 'being canine' [Chisholm]
8780 Attributes are functions, not objects; this distinguishes 'square of 2' from 'double of 2' [Geach]
4034 Whether we apply 'cold' or 'hot' to an object is quite separate from its change of temperature [Armstrong]
8535 To the claim that every predicate has a property, start by eliminating failure of application of predicate [Armstrong]
13582 'Being a methane molecule' is not a property - it is just a predicate [Ellis]
15756 Some truths are not because of a thing's properties, but because of the properties of related things [Shoemaker]
15761 We should abandon the idea that properties are the meanings of predicate expressions [Shoemaker]
8564 There is obviously a possible predicate for every property [Mellor]
16471 I accept a hierarchy of properties of properties of properties [Stalnaker]
15563 Properties are very abundant (unlike universals), and are used for semantics and higher-order variables [Lewis]
15739 There is the property of belonging to a set, so abundant properties are as numerous as the sets [Lewis]
18433 There are far more properties than any brain could ever encodify [Lewis]
8604 We need properties as semantic values for linguistic expressions [Lewis]
7014 A particle and a coin heads-or-tails pick out to perfectly well-defined predicates and properties [Fodor]
18443 A successful predicate guarantees the existence of a property - the way of being it expresses [Hale/Wright]
10714 The expressions with properties as their meanings are predicates and abstract singular terms [Oliver]
10715 There are five main semantic theories for properties [Oliver]
7015 A predicate applies truly if it picks out a real property of objects [Heil]
4587 From the property predicates P and Q, we can get 'P or Q', but it doesn't have to designate another property [Heil]
18533 In Fa, F may not be a property of a, but a determinable, satisfied by some determinate [Heil]
18540 Predicates only match properties at the level of fundamentals [Heil]
13638 Properties are often seen as intensional; equiangular and equilateral are different, despite identity of objects [Shapiro]
8273 Is 'the Thames is broad in London' relational, or adverbial, or segmental? [Lowe]
14995 Predicates can be 'sparse' if there is a universal, or if there is a natural property or relation [Sider]
9503 To name an abundant property is either a Fregean concept, or a simple predicate [Bird]
18432 Quineans say that predication is primitive and inexplicable [Edwards]