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Full Idea
Three main reasons for thinking properties exist: the one-over-many argument (that a type can have many tokens), the reference argument (to understand predicates and singular terms), and the quantification argument (that we quantify over them).
Gist of Idea
We accept properties because of type/tokens, reference, and quantification
Source
Douglas Edwards (Properties [2014], 1.1)
Book Ref
Edwards,Douglas: 'Properties' [Polity 2014], p.1
A Reaction
[Bits in brackets are compressions of his explanations]. I don't find any of these remotely persuasive. Why would we infer how the world is, simply from how we talk about or reason about the world? His first reason is the only interesting one.
| 16155 | Aristotle promoted the importance of properties and objects (rather than general and particular) [Aristotle, by Frede,M] |
| 17849 | For two things to differ in some respect, they must both possess that respect [Aristotle] |
| 15754 | Without properties we would be unable to express the laws of nature [Armstrong] |
| 18372 | We need properties, as minimal truthmakers for the truths about objects [Armstrong] |
| 8568 | A property is merely a constituent of laws of nature; temperature is just part of thermodynamics [Mellor] |
| 15737 | To be a 'property' is to suit a theoretical role [Lewis] |
| 10716 | There are just as many properties as the laws require [Oliver] |
| 18510 | We need properties to explain how the world works [Heil] |
| 18430 | We accept properties because of type/tokens, reference, and quantification [Edwards] |