Single Idea 14748

[catalogued under 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 5. Composition of an Object]

Full Idea

What is true of the many is not exactly what is true of the one. After all they are many while it is one. The number of the many is six, whereas the number of the fusion is one. The singletons of the many are distinct from the singleton of the one.

Gist of Idea

The many are many and the one is one, so they can't be identical

Source

David Lewis (Parts of Classes [1991], 3.6)

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'Parts of Classes' [Blackwell 1991], p.87


A Reaction

I wouldn't take this objection to be conclusive. 'Some pebbles' seem to be many, but a 'handful of pebbles' seem to be one, where the physical situation might be identical. If they are not identical, then the non-identity is purely conceptual.

Related Idea

Idea 14747 'Composition as identity' says that an object just is the objects which compose it [Sider]