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Full Idea
If we accepted that counting objects always presupposes some sortal, it is surely clear that the class of objects to be counted could be designated by two sortals rather than one.
Gist of Idea
If counting needs a sortal, what of things which fall under two sortals?
Source
M.R. Ayers (Individuals without Sortals [1974], 'Realist' vii)
Book Ref
-: 'Canadian Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.131
A Reaction
His nice example is an object which is both 'a single piece of wool' and a 'sweater', which had better not be counted twice. Wiggins struggles to argue that there is always one 'substance sortal' which predominates.
Related Idea
Idea 17517 Could the same matter have more than one form or principle of unity? [Ayers]
| 17511 | Recognising continuity is separate from sortals, and must precede their use [Ayers] |
| 17510 | Speakers need the very general category of a thing, if they are to think about it [Ayers] |
| 17509 | Some say a 'covering concept' completes identity; others place the concept in the reference [Ayers] |
| 17521 | You can't have the concept of a 'stage' if you lack the concept of an object [Ayers] |
| 17522 | We use sortals to classify physical objects by the nature and origin of their unity [Ayers] |
| 17523 | Sortals basically apply to individuals [Ayers] |
| 17520 | Events do not have natural boundaries, and we have to set them [Ayers] |
| 17519 | To express borderline cases of objects, you need the concept of an 'object' [Ayers] |
| 17518 | Counting 'coin in this box' may have coin as the unit, with 'in this box' merely as the scope [Ayers] |
| 17514 | Temporal 'parts' cannot be separated or rearranged [Ayers] |
| 17512 | If diachronic identities need covering concepts, why not synchronic identities too? [Ayers] |
| 17513 | If there are two objects, then 'that marble, man-shaped object' is ambiguous [Ayers] |
| 17515 | Seeing caterpillar and moth as the same needs continuity, not identity of sortal concepts [Ayers] |
| 17517 | Could the same matter have more than one form or principle of unity? [Ayers] |
| 17516 | If counting needs a sortal, what of things which fall under two sortals? [Ayers] |