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Single Idea 16455

[filed under theme 9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 7. Indiscernible Objects ]

Full Idea

If God creates a globe reached by travelling two diameters in a straight line from another globe, this can be described as two globes in Euclidean space, or a single globe in a tightly curved non-Euclidean space.

Gist of Idea

Black's two globes might be one globe in highly curved space

Source

Robert Merrihew Adams (Primitive Thisness and Primitive Identity [1979], 3)

Book Ref

'Metaphysics - An Anthology', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Kim,J. [Blackwell 1999], p.177


A Reaction

[my compression of Adams's version of Hacking's response to Black, as spotted by Stalnaker] Hence we save the identity of indiscernibles, by saying we can't be sure that two indiscernibles are not one thing, unusually described.


The 12 ideas from 'Primitive Thisness and Primitive Identity'

Possible worlds are world-stories, maximal descriptions of whole non-existent worlds [Adams,RM, by Molnar]
Adams says anti-haecceitism reduces all thisness to suchness [Adams,RM, by Stalnaker]
Haecceitism may or may not involve some logical connection to essence [Adams,RM, by Mackie,P]
Are possible worlds just qualities, or do they include primitive identities as well? [Adams,RM]
A 'thisness' is a thing's property of being identical with itself (not the possession of self-identity) [Adams,RM]
Essences are taken to be qualitative properties [Adams,RM]
Direct reference is by proper names, or indexicals, or referential uses of descriptions [Adams,RM]
If the universe was cyclical, totally indiscernible events might occur from time to time [Adams,RM]
Two events might be indiscernible yet distinct, if there was a universe cyclical in time [Adams,RM]
Black's two globes might be one globe in highly curved space [Adams,RM]
Moderate Haecceitism says transworld identities are primitive, but connected to qualities [Adams,RM]
There are cases where mere qualities would not ensure an intrinsic identity [Adams,RM]