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Single Idea 17581

[from 'Material Beings' by Peter van Inwagen, in 27. Natural Reality / G. Biology / 2. Life ]

Full Idea

Being caught up in the life of an organism is, like being rich or being tall, a matter of degree, and is in that sense a vague condition.

Gist of Idea

Being part of an organism's life is a matter of degree, and vague

Source

Peter van Inwagen (Material Beings [1990], 17)

Book Reference

Inwagen,Peter van: 'Material Beings' [Cornell 1995], p.217


A Reaction

Van Inwagen is trying to cover himself, given that he makes a sharp distinction between living organisms, which are unified objects, and everything else, which isn't. There may be a vague centre to a 'life', as well as vague boundaries.