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Single Idea 15847

[from 'Parmenides' by Plato, in 9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 6. Identity between Objects ]

Full Idea

Everything is surely related to everything as follows: either it is the same or different; or, if it is not the same or different, it would be related as part to whole or as whole to part.

Gist of Idea

Two things relate either as same or different, or part of a whole, or the whole of the part

Source

Plato (Parmenides [c.364 BCE], 146b)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.379


A Reaction

This strikes me as a really helpful first step in trying to analyse the nature of identity. Two things are either two or (actually) one, or related mereologically.