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Single Idea 17653

[from 'Ways of Worldmaking' by Nelson Goodman, in 9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 3. Relative Identity ]

Full Idea

Identification rests upon organization into entities and kinds. The response to the question 'Same or not the same?' must always be 'Same what?'. ...Identity or constancy in a world is identity with respect to what is within that world as organised.

Gist of Idea

Things can only be judged the 'same' by citing some respect of sameness

Source

Nelson Goodman (Ways of Worldmaking [1978], 1.4a)

Book Reference

Goodman,Nelson: 'Ways of Worldmaking' [Hackett 1984], p.8


A Reaction

And the gist of his book is that 'organised' is done by us, not by the world. He seems to be committed to the full Geachean relative identity, rather than the mere Wigginsian relative individuation. An unfashionable view!