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Single Idea 12015
[filed under theme 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 3. Individual Essences
]
Full Idea
A non-trivial individual essence is properties other than a) those following from a de dicto truth, b) properties of existence and self-identity (or their cognates), c) properties derived from necessities in some other category.
Gist of Idea
Non-trivial individual essence is properties other than de dicto, or universal, or relational
Source
Graeme Forbes (The Metaphysics of Modality [1985], 5.1)
Book Ref
Forbes,Graeme: 'The Metaphysics of Modality' [OUP 1985], p.99
A Reaction
[I have compressed Forbes] Rather than adding all these qualificational clauses to our concept, we could just tighten up on the notion of a property, saying it is something which is causally efficacious, and hence explanatory.
The
32 ideas
from Graeme Forbes
13804
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A property is essential iff the object would not exist if it lacked that property
[Forbes,G]
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13805
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Properties are trivially essential if they are not grounded in a thing's specific nature
[Forbes,G]
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13808
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A relation is essential to two items if it holds in every world where they exist
[Forbes,G]
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13806
|
Trivially essential properties are existence, self-identity, and de dicto necessities
[Forbes,G]
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13807
|
A property is 'extraneously essential' if it is had only because of the properties of other objects
[Forbes,G]
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13810
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The source of de dicto necessity is not concepts, but the actual properties of the thing
[Forbes,G]
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13809
|
One might be essentialist about the original bronze from which a statue was made
[Forbes,G]
|
11885
|
Only individual essences will ground identities across worlds in other properties
[Forbes,G, by Mackie,P]
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11888
|
Identities must hold because of other facts, which must be instrinsic
[Forbes,G, by Mackie,P]
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12003
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De re modal formulae, unlike de dicto, are sensitive to transworld identities
[Forbes,G]
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12004
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Counterpart theory is not good at handling the logic of identity
[Forbes,G]
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12005
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The symbol 'ι' forms definite descriptions; (ιx)F(x) says 'the x which is such that F(x)'
[Forbes,G]
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12008
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Unlike places and times, we cannot separate possible worlds from what is true at them
[Forbes,G]
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12009
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The problem with possible worlds realism is epistemological; we can't know properties of possible objects
[Forbes,G]
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12007
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Possible worlds are points of logical space, rather like other times than our own
[Forbes,G]
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12010
|
Is the meaning of 'and' given by its truth table, or by its introduction and elimination rules?
[Forbes,G]
|
12014
|
An individual essence is a set of essential properties which only that object can have
[Forbes,G]
|
12015
|
Non-trivial individual essence is properties other than de dicto, or universal, or relational
[Forbes,G]
|
12013
|
Essential properties depend on a category, and perhaps also on particular facts
[Forbes,G]
|
12012
|
Essential properties are those without which an object could not exist
[Forbes,G]
|
12011
|
Transworld identity concerns the limits of possibility for ordinary things
[Forbes,G]
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12016
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The problem of transworld identity can be solved by individual essences
[Forbes,G]
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12017
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In all instances of identity, there must be some facts to ensure the identity
[Forbes,G]
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12020
|
An individual might change their sex in a world, but couldn't have differed in sex at origin
[Forbes,G]
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12021
|
Haecceitism attributes to each individual a primitive identity or thisness
[Forbes,G]
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12022
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Same parts does not ensure same artefact, if those parts could constitute a different artefact
[Forbes,G]
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12023
|
Vagueness problems arise from applying sharp semantics to vague languages
[Forbes,G]
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12024
|
If we combined two clocks, it seems that two clocks may have become one clock.
[Forbes,G]
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12025
|
Artefacts have fuzzy essences
[Forbes,G]
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12027
|
There must be a plausible epistemological theory alongside any metaphysical theory
[Forbes,G]
|
12029
|
We believe in thisnesses, because we reject bizarre possibilities as not being about that individual
[Forbes,G]
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12028
|
De re necessity is a form of conceptual necessity, just as de dicto necessity is
[Forbes,G]
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