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Single Idea 23789

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 1. Powers ]

Full Idea

Naming powers is unwise; the main reason is that there is a long tradition of naming powers according to the manifestations they can produce, and that does not square well with multi-track powers.

Clarification

A 'multi-track' power can produce diverse results

Gist of Idea

Naming powers is unwise, because that it usually done by a single manifestation

Source

Neil E. Williams (The Powers Metaphysics [2019], 08.4)

Book Ref

Williams,Neil E.: 'The Powers Metaphysics' [OUP 2019], p.191

A Reaction

On the other hand there must be some attempt to individuate powers (by scientists, if not by philosophers), and that can only rely on the manifestations. Describe them, rather than name them? Just assign them a number!

The 33 ideas with the same theme [nature of underlying powers]:

16113 Potentiality is a principle of change, in another thing, or as another thing [Aristotle]
16114 Active 'dunamis' is best translated as 'power' or 'ability' (rather than 'potentiality') [Aristotle, by Gill,ML]
5117 Heavy and light are defined by their tendency to move down or up [Aristotle]
15965 Boyle attacked a contemporary belief that powers were occult things [Boyle, by Alexander,P]
12477 We get the idea of power from our own actions, and the interaction of external bodies [Locke]
12490 Power is active or passive, and has a relation to actions [Locke]
12521 We can only know a thing's powers when we have combined it with many things [Locke]
12735 Everything has a fixed power, as required by God, and by the possibility of reasoning [Leibniz]
12733 Because of the definitions of cause, effect and power, cause and effect have the same power [Leibniz]
12711 The immediate cause of movements is more real [than geometry] [Leibniz]
12959 We discern active power from our minds, so mind must be involved in all active powers [Leibniz]
12967 I use the word 'entelechy' for a power, to include endeavour, as well as mere aptitude [Leibniz]
13179 A complete monad is a substance with primitive active and passive power [Leibniz]
11949 There may well be powers in things, with which we are quite unacquainted [Hume]
11942 Power is the possibility of action, as discovered by experience [Hume]
15312 We get the idea of power by abstracting from ropes, magnets and electric shocks [Priestley]
20105 Storms are wonderful expressions of free powers! [Nietzsche]
15489 A property that cannot interact is worse than inert - it isn't there at all [Martin,CB]
18398 Space, time, and some other basics, are not causal powers [Ellis]
13580 Causal powers must necessarily act the way they do [Ellis]
13598 Causal powers are often directional (e.g. centripetal, centrifugal, circulatory) [Ellis]
15279 Energy was introduced to physics to refer to the 'store of potency' of a moving ball [Harré/Madden]
15276 Some powers need a stimulus, but others are just released [Harré/Madden]
15305 Some powers are variable, others cannot change (without destroying an identity) [Harré/Madden]
11932 Powers have Directedness, Independence, Actuality, Intrinsicality and Objectivity [Molnar]
11933 A power's type-identity is given by its definitive manifestation [Molnar]
15148 Powers give explanations, without being necessary for some class membership [Chakravartty]
23775 Powers are 'multi-track' if they can produce a variety of manifestations [Williams,NE]
23780 Every possible state of affairs is written into its originating powers [Williams,NE]
23789 Naming powers is unwise, because that it usually done by a single manifestation [Williams,NE]
14378 Science aims at identifying the structure and nature of the powers that exist [Jacobs]
14538 Powers explain properties, causes, modality, events, and perhaps even particulars [Mumford/Anjum]
23707 Powers are properties which necessitate dispositions [Friend/Kimpton-Nye]