Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Two Problems of Epistemology', 'Dispositional Essentialism and the Laws of Nature' and 'Mind in a Physical World'

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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 7. Emergent Properties
Properties can have causal powers lacked by their constituents [Kim]
     Full Idea: Macroproperties can, and in general do, have their own causal powers, powers that go beyond the causal powers of their microconstituents.
     From: Jaegwon Kim (Mind in a Physical World [1998], §3 p.085)
     A reaction: I don't see why the macro-powers 'go beyond' the sum of the micro-powers. Admittedly one molecule can't be slippery, but slipperiness can be totally reduced to molecule behaviour.