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Single Idea 21659

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

Full Idea

It is said that not every property can be expressed because there are more properties than there are predicates. ...But the same predicate can be used to express many different properties: 'being taller than this' depends on what 'this' refers to.

Gist of Idea

'Being taller than this' is a predicate which can express many different properties

Source

Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 09.2)

Book Ref

Hofweber,Thomas: 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' [OUP 2018], p.237


A Reaction

A good example, but being a comparative and relying on a demonstrative indexical makes it a favourable example. 'Being made of iron' doesn't have much scope for expressing many properties.