more from this thinker     |     more from this text

Single Idea 4028

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 10. Properties as Predicates ]

Full Idea

Frege's theory of properties (which he calls 'concepts') yields too few properties, by identifying coextensive properties, and also too many, by letting every predicate express a property.

Clarification

'Coextensive' properties apply to the same objects; predicates are linguistic expressions of properties

Gist of Idea

Frege allows either too few properties (as extensions) or too many (as predicates)

Source

comment on Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by DH Mellor / A Oliver - Introduction to 'Properties' §2

Book Ref

'Properties', ed/tr. Mellor,D.H. /Oliver,A [OUP 1997], p.4

A Reaction

Seems right; one extension may have two properties (have heart/kidneys), two predicates might express the same property. 'Cutting nature at the joints' covers properties as well as objects.

The 30 ideas with the same theme [properties as purely linguistic concepts]:

10956 If we only saw bronze circles, would bronze be part of the concept of a circle? [Aristotle]
10317 It is unclear whether Frege included qualities among his abstract objects [Frege, by Hale]
4028 Frege allows either too few properties (as extensions) or too many (as predicates) [Mellor/Oliver on Frege]
8534 Quine says the predicate of a true statement has no ontological implications [Quine, by Armstrong]
15804 If some dogs are brown, that entails the properties of 'being brown' and 'being canine' [Chisholm]
8780 Attributes are functions, not objects; this distinguishes 'square of 2' from 'double of 2' [Geach]
4034 Whether we apply 'cold' or 'hot' to an object is quite separate from its change of temperature [Armstrong]
8535 To the claim that every predicate has a property, start by eliminating failure of application of predicate [Armstrong]
13582 'Being a methane molecule' is not a property - it is just a predicate [Ellis]
15756 Some truths are not because of a thing's properties, but because of the properties of related things [Shoemaker]
15761 We should abandon the idea that properties are the meanings of predicate expressions [Shoemaker]
8564 There is obviously a possible predicate for every property [Mellor]
16471 I accept a hierarchy of properties of properties of properties [Stalnaker]
15563 Properties are very abundant (unlike universals), and are used for semantics and higher-order variables [Lewis]
15739 There is the property of belonging to a set, so abundant properties are as numerous as the sets [Lewis]
18433 There are far more properties than any brain could ever encodify [Lewis]
8604 We need properties as semantic values for linguistic expressions [Lewis]
7014 A particle and a coin heads-or-tails pick out to perfectly well-defined predicates and properties [Fodor]
18443 A successful predicate guarantees the existence of a property - the way of being it expresses [Hale/Wright]
10714 The expressions with properties as their meanings are predicates and abstract singular terms [Oliver]
10715 There are five main semantic theories for properties [Oliver]
7015 A predicate applies truly if it picks out a real property of objects [Heil]
4587 From the property predicates P and Q, we can get 'P or Q', but it doesn't have to designate another property [Heil]
18533 In Fa, F may not be a property of a, but a determinable, satisfied by some determinate [Heil]
18540 Predicates only match properties at the level of fundamentals [Heil]
13638 Properties are often seen as intensional; equiangular and equilateral are different, despite identity of objects [Shapiro]
8273 Is 'the Thames is broad in London' relational, or adverbial, or segmental? [Lowe]
14995 Predicates can be 'sparse' if there is a universal, or if there is a natural property or relation [Sider]
9503 To name an abundant property is either a Fregean concept, or a simple predicate [Bird]
18432 Quineans say that predication is primitive and inexplicable [Edwards]