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Full Idea
Criteria of identity never unambiguously determine the kind of objects to which they apply, since many different types of objects can be governed by the same criteria. Cats and dogs share the criterion of identity for animals in general.
Gist of Idea
Criteria of identity cannot individuate objects, because they are shared among different types
Source
E.J. Lowe (The Possibility of Metaphysics [1998], 10.3)
Book Ref
Lowe,E.J.: 'The Possibility of Metaphysics' [OUP 2001], p.215
A Reaction
So how do you individuate the type of an object? You could identify 'the thing I dug up yesterday' without being able to individuate it. You can individuate 'the cleverest person in Britain' without being able to identify them.
| 14524 | Bodies are combinations of shape, size, resistance and weight [Epicurus] |
| 12971 | If two individuals could be indistinguishable, there could be no principle of individuation [Leibniz] |
| 19379 | The law of the series, which determines future states of a substance, is what individuates it [Leibniz] |
| 10194 | Two things can only be distinguished by a distinct property or a distinct relation [Black] |
| 17668 | It is likely that particulars can be individuated by unique conjunctions of properties [Armstrong] |
| 8520 | An individual is a union of a group of qualities and a position [Quinton, by Campbell,K] |
| 17647 | Kripke individuates objects by essential modal properties (and presupposes essentialism) [Kripke, by Putnam] |
| 15455 | Total intrinsic properties give us what a thing is [Lewis] |
| 8303 | Criteria of identity cannot individuate objects, because they are shared among different types [Lowe] |
| 16680 | Scholastics thought Quantity could be the principle of individuation [Pasnau] |
| 16785 | If you reject essences, questions of individuation become extremely difficult [Pasnau] |