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Single Idea 4035

[filed under theme 19. Language / C. Assigning Meanings / 3. Predicates ]

Full Idea

When we have said that predicates apply to objects, we have surely not said enough. The situation cries out for an explanation. Must there not be something specific about the things which allows, indeed ensures, that these predicates apply?

Clarification

'Predicates' are part of language

Gist of Idea

There must be some explanation of why certain predicates are applicable to certain objects

Source

David M. Armstrong (Properties [1992], §1)

Book Ref

'Properties', ed/tr. Mellor,D.H. /Oliver,A [OUP 1997], p.164

A Reaction

A nice challenge to any philosopher who places too much emphasis on language. A random and arbitrary (nominalist?) language simply wouldn't work. Nature has joints.

The 25 ideas with the same theme [terms attributing characteristics to things]:

12349 Only what can be said of many things is a predicable [Aristotle, by Wedin]
11837 Some predicates signify qualification of a substance, others the substance itself [Aristotle]
5107 Predicates are substance, quality, place, relation, quantity and action or affection [Aristotle]
20786 Predicates are incomplete 'lekta' [Stoic school, by Diog. Laertius]
15383 Nothing external can truly be predicated of an object [Abelard, by Panaccio]
11206 The mind constructs complete attributions, based on the unified elements of the real world [Aquinas]
9022 Russell uses 'propositional function' to refer to both predicates and to attributes [Quine on Russell]
16932 Projectible predicates can be universalised about the kind to which they refer [Quine]
19159 Quine relates predicates to their objects, by being 'true of' them [Quine, by Davidson]
9281 The idea of a predicate matches a range of things to which it can be applied [Strawson,P]
8533 Predicates need ontological correlates to ensure that they apply [Armstrong]
4035 There must be some explanation of why certain predicates are applicable to certain objects [Armstrong]
5457 Predicates assert properties, values, denials, relations, conventions, existence and fabrications [Ellis, by PG]
19156 Modern predicates have 'places', and are sentences with singular terms deleted from the places [Davidson]
19176 The concept of truth can explain predication [Davidson]
6995 Successful predication supervenes on nature [Jackson]
4572 If predicates name things, that reduces every sentence to a mere list of names [Cooper,DE]
13363 A (modern) predicate is the result of leaving a gap for the name in a sentence [Bostock]
17857 We can accept Frege's idea of object without assuming that predicates have a reference [Wright,C]
18536 The subject-predicate form reflects reality [Heil]
10401 The F and G of logic cover a huge range of natural language combinations [Swoyer]
8471 Three ways for 'Socrates is human' to be true are nominalist, platonist, or Montague's way [Orenstein]
21658 Properties can be expressed in a language despite the absence of a single word for them [Hofweber]
21659 'Being taller than this' is a predicate which can express many different properties [Hofweber]
10634 Predicates are 'distributive' or 'non-distributive'; do individuals do what the group does? [Linnebo]