Combining Texts

Ideas for 'teaching', 'Beitrage' and 'On the Individuation of Attributes'

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2 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties

18439	Because things can share attributes, we cannot individuate attributes clearly [Quine]
	Full Idea: No two classes have exactly the same members, but two different attributes may be attributes of exactly the same things. Classes are identical when their members are identical. ...On the other hand, attributes have no clear principle of individuation.
	From: Willard Quine (On the Individuation of Attributes [1975], p.100)

8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 5. Class Nominalism

18442	You only know an attribute if you know what things have it [Quine]
	Full Idea: May we not say that you know an attribute only insofar as you know what things have it?
	From: Willard Quine (On the Individuation of Attributes [1975], p.106)
	A reaction: Simple, and the best defence of class nominalism (a very implausible theory) which I have encountered. Do I have to know all the things? Do I not know 'red' if I don't know tomatoes have it?