Ideas from 'Causality and Properties' by Sydney Shoemaker [1980], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Identity, Cause and Mind' by Shoemaker,Sydney [OUP 2003,0-19-926470-8]].
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1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 3. Metaphysical Systems
8558
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One system has properties, powers, events, similarity and substance
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1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 4. Conceptual Analysis
8559
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Analysis aims at internal relationships, not reduction
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 1. Nature of Properties
15092
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Formerly I said properties are individuated by essential causal powers and causing instantiation [Shoemaker]
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 5. Natural Properties
8543
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Genuine properties are closely related to genuine changes
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8551
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Properties must be essentially causal if we can know and speak about them
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8557
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To ascertain genuine properties, examine the object directly
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 10. Properties as Predicates
15761
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We should abandon the idea that properties are the meanings of predicate expressions
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15756
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Some truths are not because of a thing's properties, but because of the properties of related things
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 3. Powers as Derived
15758
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Things have powers in virtue of (which are entailed by) their properties
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8547
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One power can come from different properties; a thing's powers come from its properties
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8549
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Properties are functions producing powers, and powers are functions producing effects
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 5. Powers and Properties
12678
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Shoemaker says all genuine properties are dispositional [Ellis]
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8545
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A causal theory of properties focuses on change, not (say) on abstract properties of numbers
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15757
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'Square', 'round' and 'made of copper' show that not all properties are dispositional
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15759
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The identity of a property concerns its causal powers
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15760
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Properties are clusters of conditional powers
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15762
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Could properties change without the powers changing, or powers change without the properties changing?
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8552
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If properties are separated from causal powers, this invites total elimination
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4040
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The notions of property and of causal power are parts of a single system of related concepts
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15765
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Actually, properties are individuated by causes as well as effects
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / b. Dispositions and powers
8548
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Dispositional predicates ascribe powers, and the rest ascribe properties
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 2. Need for Universals
9485
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Universals concern how things are, and how they could be [Bird]
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8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 5. Class Nominalism
8550
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Triangular and trilateral are coextensive, but different concepts; but powers and properties are the same
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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 15. Against Essentialism
8555
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There is no subset of properties which guarantee a thing's identity
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10. Modality / B. Possibility / 1. Possibility
8554
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Possible difference across worlds depends on difference across time in the actual world
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10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / a. Conceivable as possible
15764
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'Conceivable' is either not-provably-false, or compatible with what we know?
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10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / b. Conceivable but impossible
8562
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It is possible to conceive what is not possible
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14. Science / C. Induction / 5. Paradoxes of Induction / a. Grue problem
8556
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Grueness is not, unlike green and blue, associated with causal potential
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26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / b. Causal relata
8542
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If causality is between events, there must be reference to the properties involved
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / b. Scientific necessity
8560
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If causal laws describe causal potentialities, the same laws govern properties in all possible worlds
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15763
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If properties are causal, then causal necessity is a species of logical necessity
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8561
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If a world has different causal laws, it must have different properties
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / d. Knowing essences
8553
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It looks as if the immutability of the powers of a property imply essentiality
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