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Full Idea
Thermostats, thermometers, axes, spoons, and batteries have dispositional essences, which make them what they are.
Gist of Idea
Many artefacts have dispositional essences, which make them what they are
Source
Stephen Mumford (Dispositions [1998], 01.2 iv)
Book Ref
Mumford,Stephen: 'Dispositions' [OUP 1998], p.8
A Reaction
I would have thought that we could extend this proposal well beyond artefacts, but it certainly seems particularly clear in artefacts, where a human intention seems to be inescapably involved.
| 16508 | Things are more unified if the unity comes from their own nature, not from external force [Aristotle] |
| 16117 | The hallmark of an artefact is that its active source of maintenance is external [Aristotle, by Gill,ML] |
| 12540 | Artificial things like watches and pistols have distinct kinds [Locke] |
| 12177 | Human artefacts may have essences, in their purposes [Popper] |
| 16514 | Artefacts are individuated by some matter having a certain function [Wiggins] |
| 17575 | The persistence of artifacts always covertly involves intelligent beings [Inwagen] |
| 13809 | One might be essentialist about the original bronze from which a statue was made [Forbes,G] |
| 12022 | Same parts does not ensure same artefact, if those parts could constitute a different artefact [Forbes,G] |
| 12025 | Artefacts have fuzzy essences [Forbes,G] |
| 14295 | Many artefacts have dispositional essences, which make them what they are [Mumford] |
| 12873 | Original parts are the best candidates for being essential to artefacts [Simons] |