more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Is it the case that any property had essentially by anything is had essentially by everything that has it?
Gist of Idea
If a property is ever essential, can it only ever be an essential property?
Source
Alvin Plantinga (World and Essence [1970], III)
Book Ref
Plantinga,Alvin: 'Essays in the Metaphysics of Modality' [OUP 2003], p.65
A Reaction
Plantinga says it is not true, but the only example he can give is Socrates having the property of 'being Socrates or Greek'. I take it to be universally false. There are not two types of property here. Properties sometimes play an essential role.