more from B Hale / C Wright

Single Idea 12229

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 3. Types of Properties]

Full Idea

There is a compatibilist view which says that it is for the abundant properties to play the role of 'bedeutungen' in semantic theory, and the sparse ones to address certain metaphysical concerns.

Clarification

'Bedeutung' is Frege's word for 'reference'

Gist of Idea

Maybe we have abundant properties for semantics, and sparse properties for ontology

Source

B Hale / C Wright (The Metaontology of Abstraction [2009], §9)

Book Reference

'Metametaphysics', ed/tr. Chalmers/Manley/Wasserman [OUP 2009], p.198


A Reaction

Only a philosopher could live with the word 'property' having utterly different extensions in different areas of discourse. They similarly bifurcate words like 'object' and 'exist'. Call properties 'quasi-properties' and I might join in.