more from Sydney Shoemaker

Single Idea 15757

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 5. Powers and Properties]

Full Idea

Surely we make a distinction beween dispositional and nondispositional properties, and can mention paradigms of both sorts. ....It seems plain that predicates like 'square', 'round' and 'made of copper' are not dispositional.

Gist of Idea

'Square', 'round' and 'made of copper' show that not all properties are dispositional

Source

Sydney Shoemaker (Causality and Properties [1980], §03)

Book Reference

Shoemaker,Sydney: 'Identity, Cause and Mind' [OUP 2003], p.210


A Reaction

It might be possible to account for squareness and roundness in dispositional ways, and it is certainly plausible to say that 'made of copper' is not a property (even when it is a true predicate).