Full Idea
The 'positionalist' view of relations is that each relation is taken to be endowed with a given number of argument places, or positions, in no specified order. [...The argument-places are specific entities, such as 'lover' and 'beloved']
Gist of Idea
The 'positionalist' view of relations says the number of places is fixed, but not the order
Source
Kit Fine (Neutral Relations [2000], Intro)
Book Reference
-: 'Philosophical Review' [-], p.1
A Reaction
Fine offers this as an alternative to the 'standard' view of relations, in which the order of the objects matters. He then adds, and favours, the 'anti-positionalist' view, where there are not even a fixed number of places.
Related Idea
Idea 14217 The 'standard' view of relations is that they hold of several objects in a given order [Fine,K]