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Single Idea 11027

[from 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus' by Ludwig Wittgenstein, in 10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 3. Transworld Objects / a. Transworld identity ]

Full Idea

If I know an object I also know all its possible occurrences in states of affairs. (Every one of those possibilities must be part of the nature of the object.) A new possibility cannot be discovered later.

Gist of Idea

To know an object you must know all its possible occurrences

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 2.0123)

Book Reference

Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Pears)', ed/tr. Pears,D. /McGuinness,B. [RKP 1961], p.6


A Reaction

The requirement that you know them 'all' seems absurd, especially if we need science to discover them. I take this idea to be extremely important, and essentially Aristotelian (connecting with the notion of 'potentiality'). We need to know the powers.