Single Idea 14220

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 1. Nature of Relations]

Full Idea

A 'biased' relation can be taken to be the result of imposing ordering on the argument-places of an unbiased relation, ..or we can take an unbiased relation to be a 'permutation class' of biased relations. This is a familiar metaphysic predicament.

Clarification

'Biased' here means having an order

Gist of Idea

Explain biased relations as orderings of the unbiased, or the unbiased as permutation classes of the biased?

Source

Kit Fine (Neutral Relations [2000], 3)

Book Reference

-: 'Philosophical Review' [-], p.14


A Reaction

'Biased' relations such as 'on top of' have an ordering to their places, but 'unbiased' relations such as 'vertical placement' do not. This is a nice question in the metaphysics of grounding relations between key concepts.