more from David Lewis

Single Idea 15451

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 5. Natural Properties]

Full Idea

It is possible, I take it, that there might be simple natural properties different from any that instantiated within our world.

Gist of Idea

I assume there could be natural properties that are not instantiated in our world

Source

David Lewis (Against Structural Universals [1986], 'Uninstantiated')

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'Papers in Metaphysics and Epistemology' [CUP 1999], p.107


A Reaction

Interesting. Fine for Lewis, of course, for whom possibilities seem (to me) to be just logical possibilities. Even a scientific essentialist, though, must allow that different stuff might exist, which might have different intrinsic properties.