Single Idea 9474

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / c. Dispositions as conditional]

Full Idea

Finkish dispositions arise because the time delay between stimulus and manifestation provides an opportunity for the disposition to go out of existence and so halt the process that would bring about the manifestation.

Clarification

A 'fink' in a factory is paid to dissuade the workers from striking

Gist of Idea

A disposition is finkish if a time delay might mean the manifestation fizzles out

Source

Alexander Bird (Nature's Metaphysics [2007], 2.2.3)

Book Reference

Bird,Alexander: 'Nature's Metaphysics' [OUP 2007], p.25


A Reaction

This is a problem for the conditional analysis of dispositions; there may be a disposition, but it never reaches manifestation. Bird rightly points us towards actual powers rather than dispositions that need manifestation.