Single Idea 17870

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 10. Essence as Species]

Full Idea

Animals roaming jungles on some planet at the other end of the galaxy with the tiger-look and the tiger genetic make-up but with a disjoint evolutionary history are not the same species as the earthly tigers.

Gist of Idea

Alien 'tigers' can't be tigers if they are not related to our tigers

Source

Joseph Almog (Nature Without Essence [2010], 10)

Book Reference

-: 'Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.368


A Reaction

I disagree. If two independent cultures build boats, they are both boats. If we manufacture a tiger which can breed with other tigers, we've made a tiger. His 'tigers' would scream for explanation, precisely because they are tigers. If not, no puzzle.

Related Idea

Idea 17873 Water must be related to water, just as tigers must be related to tigers [Almog]