more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
May we not say that you know an attribute only insofar as you know what things have it?
Gist of Idea
You only know an attribute if you know what things have it
Source
Willard Quine (On the Individuation of Attributes [1975], p.106)
Book Ref
Quine,Willard: 'Theories and Things' [Harvard 1981], p.106
A Reaction
Simple, and the best defence of class nominalism (a very implausible theory) which I have encountered. Do I have to know all the things? Do I not know 'red' if I don't know tomatoes have it?
18439 | Because things can share attributes, we cannot individuate attributes clearly [Quine] |
18440 | Identity of physical objects is just being coextensive [Quine] |
18441 | No entity without identity (which requires a principle of individuation) [Quine] |
18442 | You only know an attribute if you know what things have it [Quine] |