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Single Idea 8553
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / d. Knowing essences
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Full Idea
There is a prima facie case for saying that the immutability of the causal potentialities of a property implies their essentiality. ...If they cannot vary across time, they also cannot vary across possible worlds.
Gist of Idea
It looks as if the immutability of the powers of a property imply essentiality
Source
Sydney Shoemaker (Causality and Properties [1980], §05)
Book Ref
Shoemaker,Sydney: 'Identity, Cause and Mind' [OUP 2003], p.217
A Reaction
This is only the beginning of scientific essentialism, but one of the targets is to save the phenomena. It is also involves unimaginability (of different powers from a given property) implying necessity.
The
33 ideas
from 'Causality and Properties'
12678
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Shoemaker says all genuine properties are dispositional
[Shoemaker, by Ellis]
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9485
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Universals concern how things are, and how they could be
[Shoemaker, by Bird]
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8542
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If causality is between events, there must be reference to the properties involved
[Shoemaker]
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8545
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A causal theory of properties focuses on change, not (say) on abstract properties of numbers
[Shoemaker]
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15756
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Some truths are not because of a thing's properties, but because of the properties of related things
[Shoemaker]
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8543
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Genuine properties are closely related to genuine changes
[Shoemaker]
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8548
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Dispositional predicates ascribe powers, and the rest ascribe properties
[Shoemaker]
|
15758
|
Things have powers in virtue of (which are entailed by) their properties
[Shoemaker]
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8547
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One power can come from different properties; a thing's powers come from its properties
[Shoemaker]
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15757
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'Square', 'round' and 'made of copper' show that not all properties are dispositional
[Shoemaker]
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15759
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The identity of a property concerns its causal powers
[Shoemaker]
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15760
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Properties are clusters of conditional powers
[Shoemaker]
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8549
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Properties are functions producing powers, and powers are functions producing effects
[Shoemaker]
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15761
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We should abandon the idea that properties are the meanings of predicate expressions
[Shoemaker]
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8550
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Triangular and trilateral are coextensive, but different concepts; but powers and properties are the same
[Shoemaker]
|
8555
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There is no subset of properties which guarantee a thing's identity
[Shoemaker]
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8554
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Possible difference across worlds depends on difference across time in the actual world
[Shoemaker]
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8551
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Properties must be essentially causal if we can know and speak about them
[Shoemaker]
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15762
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Could properties change without the powers changing, or powers change without the properties changing?
[Shoemaker]
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8552
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If properties are separated from causal powers, this invites total elimination
[Shoemaker]
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8553
|
It looks as if the immutability of the powers of a property imply essentiality
[Shoemaker]
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8557
|
To ascertain genuine properties, examine the object directly
[Shoemaker]
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8556
|
Grueness is not, unlike green and blue, associated with causal potential
[Shoemaker]
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8558
|
One system has properties, powers, events, similarity and substance
[Shoemaker]
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8559
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Analysis aims at internal relationships, not reduction
[Shoemaker]
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4040
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The notions of property and of causal power are parts of a single system of related concepts
[Shoemaker]
|
8560
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If causal laws describe causal potentialities, the same laws govern properties in all possible worlds
[Shoemaker]
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15763
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If properties are causal, then causal necessity is a species of logical necessity
[Shoemaker]
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8561
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If a world has different causal laws, it must have different properties
[Shoemaker]
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15764
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'Conceivable' is either not-provably-false, or compatible with what we know?
[Shoemaker]
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8562
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It is possible to conceive what is not possible
[Shoemaker]
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15765
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Actually, properties are individuated by causes as well as effects
[Shoemaker]
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15092
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Formerly I said properties are individuated by essential causal powers and causing instantiation
[Shoemaker, by Shoemaker]
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