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Full Idea
Ordinary artefacts are individuated, rather indeterminately and arbitrarily, by reference to a parcel of matter so organised as to subserve a certain function.
Gist of Idea
Artefacts are individuated by some matter having a certain function
Source
David Wiggins (Sameness and Substance [1980], 3.3)
Book Ref
Wiggins,David: 'Sameness and Substance' [Blackwell 1980], p.90
| 16508 | Things are more unified if the unity comes from their own nature, not from external force [Aristotle] |
| 16117 | The hallmark of an artefact is that its active source of maintenance is external [Aristotle, by Gill,ML] |
| 12540 | Artificial things like watches and pistols have distinct kinds [Locke] |
| 12177 | Human artefacts may have essences, in their purposes [Popper] |
| 16514 | Artefacts are individuated by some matter having a certain function [Wiggins] |
| 17575 | The persistence of artifacts always covertly involves intelligent beings [Inwagen] |
| 13809 | One might be essentialist about the original bronze from which a statue was made [Forbes,G] |
| 12022 | Same parts does not ensure same artefact, if those parts could constitute a different artefact [Forbes,G] |
| 12025 | Artefacts have fuzzy essences [Forbes,G] |
| 14295 | Many artefacts have dispositional essences, which make them what they are [Mumford] |
| 12873 | Original parts are the best candidates for being essential to artefacts [Simons] |