Single Idea 15522

[catalogued under 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / b. Sums of parts]

Full Idea

What's true of the many is not exactly what's 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.

Gist of Idea

The one has different truths from the many; it is one rather than many, one rather than six

Source

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

Book Reference

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


A Reaction

Together with Idea 15521, this nicely illustrates the gulf between commitment to ontology and commitment to truths. The truths about a fusion change, while its ontology remains the same. Possibly this is the key to all of metaphysics.

Related Idea

Idea 15521 Given cats, a fusion of cats adds nothing further to reality [Lewis]