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Single Idea 9448

[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / a. Scientific essentialism ]

Full Idea

Molnar argues that some properties are non-powers, and he cites spatial location, spatial orientation, and temporal location.

Gist of Idea

Location in space and time are non-power properties

Source

report of George Molnar (Powers [1998], 158-62) by Stephen Mumford - Laws in Nature 11.4

Book Ref

Mumford,Stephen: 'Laws in Nature' [Routledge 2006], p.187

A Reaction

Although you might say an event happened 'because' of an item on this list, this doesn't feel right to me. The ability to arrest someone is a power, but being at the scene of the crime isn't. It's an opportunity for a power.

The 37 ideas with the same theme [basics of essence as foundation of the laws]:

14049 We aim to know the natures which are observed in natural phenomena [Epicurus]
12118 Essences are part of first philosophy, but as part of nature, not part of logic [Bacon]
12550 If we knew the minute mechanics of hemlock, we could predict that it kills men [Locke]
11854 If there is some trace of God in things, that would explain their natural force [Leibniz]
11856 Qualities should be predictable from the nature of the subject [Leibniz]
12994 Gold has a real essence, unknown to us, which produces its properties [Leibniz]
12808 Part of our idea of gold is its real essence, which is not known to us in detail [Leibniz]
8931 The movement of pure essences constitutes the nature of scientific method [Hegel]
9363 Science seeks classification which will discover laws, essences, and predictions [Lewis,CI]
12307 Modern science seeks essences, and is getting closer to them [Copi]
11189 Dispositional essences are special, as if an object loses them they cease to exist [Marcus (Barcan)]
12175 Galilean science aimed at true essences, as the ultimate explanations [Popper]
11192 If causes are the essence of diseases, then disease is an example of a relational essence [Putnam, by Williams,NE]
11190 Archimedes meant by 'gold' the hidden structure or essence of the stuff [Putnam]
6615 A species requires a genus, and its essence includes the essence of the genus [Ellis]
5459 Essentialists say dispositions are basic, rather than supervenient on matter and natural laws [Ellis]
5461 The essence of uranium is its atomic number and its electron shell [Ellis]
13566 A proton must have its causal role, because without it it wouldn't be a proton [Ellis]
13579 What is most distinctive of scientific essentialism is regarding processes as natural kinds [Ellis]
13581 Scientific essentialism is more concerned with explanation than with identity (Locke, not Kripke) [Ellis]
13594 The ontological fundamentals are dispositions, and also categorical (spatio-temporal and structural) properties [Ellis]
15951 Alchemists tried to separate out essences, which influenced later chemistry [Alexander,P]
12085 Reality is directional [Witt]
11959 Science works when we assume natural kinds have essences - because it is true [Molnar]
9448 Location in space and time are non-power properties [Molnar, by Mumford]
11930 One essential property of a muon doesn't entail the others [Molnar]
9215 Causation is easier to disrupt than logic, so metaphysics is part of nature, not vice versa [Fine,K]
10411 Two properties can have one power, and one property can have two powers [Swoyer]
12239 The real essentialist is not merely a scientist [Oderberg]
15702 Essentialism doesn't mean we know the essences [Gelman]
15705 Essentialism encourages us to think about the world scientifically [Gelman]
17479 The nature of an element must survive chemical change, so it is the nucleus, not the electrons [Hendry]
17485 Maybe water is the smallest part of it that still counts as water (which is H2O molecules) [Hendry]
17484 Maybe the nature of water is macroscopic, and not in the microstructure [Hendry]
17396 The colour of gold is best explained by relativistic effects due to fast-moving inner-shell electrons [Scerri]
16760 Substantial forms were a step towards scientific essentialism [Pasnau]
16976 Scientific essentialists tend to characterise essence in terms of modality (not vice versa) [Tahko]