more from David Lewis

Single Idea 7031

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 6. Categorical Properties]

Full Idea

David Lewis has produced an important theory of properties as sets of actual and possible objects.

Gist of Idea

Lewis says properties are sets of actual and possible objects

Source

report of David Lewis (New work for a theory of universals [1983]) by John Heil - From an Ontological Point of View §12.2

Book Reference

Heil,John: 'From an Ontological Point of View' [OUP 2005], p.128


A Reaction

The notion that a property is an 'object' sounds wrong, as it is too passive. It also seems to allow for the possibility of uninstantiated properties existing, where properties are presumably always 'of' something.