Combining Texts

Ideas for 'On the Individuation of Attributes', 'Our Knowledge of the External World' and 'On 'Insolubilia' and their solution'

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9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / a. Individuation

18441	No entity without identity (which requires a principle of individuation) [Quine]
	Full Idea: We have an acceptable notion of class, or physical object, or attribute, or any other sort of object, only insofar as we have an acceptable principle of individuation for that sort of object. There is no entity without identity.
	From: Willard Quine (On the Individuation of Attributes [1975], p.102)
	A reaction: Note that this is his criterion for an 'acceptable' notion. Presumably that is for science. It permits less acceptable notions which don't come up to the standard. And presumably true things can be said about the less acceptable entities.