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Single Idea 13075

[filed under theme 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / d. Individuation by haecceity ]

Full Idea

In addition to the difference of time or of place there must always be an internal principle of distinction: although there can be many things of the same kind, it is still the case that none of them are ever exactly alike.

Gist of Idea

No two things are quite the same, so there must be an internal principle of distinction

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (New Essays on Human Understanding [1704], 2.27)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'New Essays on Human Understanding', ed/tr. Remnant/Bennett [CUP 1996], p.230

A Reaction

This rests on Leibniz's unusual view that all things (even electrons) are qualitatively distinct. Personally I disagree with that, but agree with the idea. Things have time and place because they have identity, not the other way around.

The 21 ideas with the same theme [a special property marking a thing's uniqueness]:

13787 Doesn't each thing have an essence, just as it has other qualities? [Plato]
16160 For Aristotle, things are not made individual by some essential distinguishing mark [Aristotle, by Frede,M]
14665 We can call the quality of Plato 'Platonity', and say it is a quality which only he possesses [Boethius]
13094 The haecceity is the featureless thing which gives ultimate individuality to a substance [Duns Scotus, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
22127 Scotus said a substantial principle of individuation [haecceitas] was needed for an essence [Duns Scotus, by Dumont]
13075 No two things are quite the same, so there must be an internal principle of distinction [Leibniz]
13105 The laws-of-the-series plays a haecceitist role [Leibniz, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
15807 A haecceity is a property had necessarily, and strictly confined to one entity [Chisholm]
15805 Being the tallest man is an 'individual concept', but not a haecceity [Chisholm]
13132 A snowball's haecceity is the property of being identical with itself [Plantinga, by Westerhoff]
14647 Surely self-identity is essential to Socrates? [Plantinga]
14658 'Being Socrates' and 'being identical with Socrates' characterise Socrates, so they are among his properties [Plantinga]
16463 Adams says actual things have haecceities, but not things that only might exist [Adams,RM, by Stalnaker]
14508 A 'thisness' is a thing's property of being identical with itself (not the possession of self-identity) [Adams,RM]
14511 There are cases where mere qualities would not ensure an intrinsic identity [Adams,RM]
11866 The idea of 'thisness' is better expressed with designation/predication and particular/universal [Wiggins]
11117 Haecceities implausibly have no qualities [Jubien]
13393 Any entity has the unique property of being that specific entity [Jubien]
13104 Haecceity as property, or as colourless thisness, or as singleton set [Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
10995 A haecceity is a set of individual properties, essential to each thing [Read]
11883 A haecceity is the essential, simple, unanalysable property of being-this-thing [Mackie,P]