ontology: the case for properties. do properties exist? a.there are some true statements about...

Ontology: Ontology: The Case for PropertiesThe Case for Properties

Do Properties Exist?Do Properties Exist?

A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense]about properties. [Commonsense]

B.B. If there are true statements about If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. properties, then properties exist. [Quine][Quine]

C.C. Properties do not exist. [Theory]Properties do not exist. [Theory]

Do Holes Exist?Do Holes Exist?

A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about holes. [Commonsense] about holes. [Commonsense]

B.B. If there are true statements about If there are true statements about holes, then holes exist. [Quine]holes, then holes exist. [Quine]

C.C. Holes do not exist. [Theory]Holes do not exist. [Theory]


A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense]about properties. [Commonsense]




A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] about properties. [Commonsense] Rephrase Rephrase




A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] about properties. [Commonsense]


C.C. Properties do not exist. [Theory] Properties do not exist. [Theory] RethinkRethink


1.1. Socrates has wisdom.Socrates has wisdom.

2.2. Plato and Socrates have wisdom in Plato and Socrates have wisdom in common.common.

3.3. Plato and Socrates have something Plato and Socrates have something in common.in common.

4.4. Humility is a virtue.Humility is a virtue.


1.1. Socrates has wisdom.Socrates has wisdom. WisdomWisdom is had by Socrates. is had by Socrates.


WisdomWisdom is had by both Plato and Socrates. is had by both Plato and Socrates.3.3. Plato and Socrates have something in Plato and Socrates have something in

common.common. There isThere is somethingsomething that Plato and Socrates that Plato and Socrates

have in common.have in common.4.4. Humility is a virtue.Humility is a virtue.

HumilityHumility is a virtue. is a virtue.


1.1. Socrates has wisdom.Socrates has wisdom. Socrates is wise.Socrates is wise.


Plato and Socrates are both wise.Plato and Socrates are both wise.3.3. Plato and Socrates have something in Plato and Socrates have something in

common.common. There are some things that resemble each There are some things that resemble each

other; Plato and Socrates are among them.other; Plato and Socrates are among them.4.4. Humility is a virtue.Humility is a virtue.

??????

Paraphrase:Paraphrase:ExamplesExamples

Ryan: I’m going to be late getting home Ryan: I’m going to be late getting home for dinner - I’m so dead! for dinner - I’m so dead!

Hud: That’s strange – you don’t look dead. Hud: That’s strange – you don’t look dead. Ryan: No, no. I’m not Ryan: No, no. I’m not literallyliterally dead – I just dead – I just mean that my wife is going to kill me, so mean that my wife is going to kill me, so I’ve got to hurry up and get home.I’ve got to hurry up and get home.

Hud: You’re wife’s going to kill you?! Then Hud: You’re wife’s going to kill you?! Then why are you in such a hurry to get home? why are you in such a hurry to get home?

Ryan: No, no, no. She’s not Ryan: No, no, no. She’s not reallyreally going to going to kill me – she’ll just be kill me – she’ll just be upsetupset at me… at me… That’sThat’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!what I’ve been trying to tell you!


Ryan: The average family has 1.8 children.Ryan: The average family has 1.8 children. Hud: 1.8 children?! Now there’s something Hud: 1.8 children?! Now there’s something

you don’t see every day! I’d like to meet this you don’t see every day! I’d like to meet this family – where do they live?family – where do they live?

Ryan: No, no, no – there isn’t Ryan: No, no, no – there isn’t reallyreally any such any such thing as the average family. All I meant was thing as the average family. All I meant was that families, on average, have 1.8 children. that families, on average, have 1.8 children. If you add up all the kids and divide by the If you add up all the kids and divide by the number of families, you get 1.8. number of families, you get 1.8.


Ryan: Socrates has wisdom.Ryan: Socrates has wisdom. Hud: Socrates has wisdom, huh? Well Hud: Socrates has wisdom, huh? Well

anything that’s good enough for anything that’s good enough for Socrates is good enough for me – Socrates is good enough for me – where can I get my hands on some of where can I get my hands on some of this wisdom stuff?this wisdom stuff?

Ryan: No, no, no. There isn’t Ryan: No, no, no. There isn’t reallyreally any such thing as wisdom. All I any such thing as wisdom. All I meant was that Socrates was wise.meant was that Socrates was wise.

Paraphrase Paraphrase

(4) Humility is a virtue.(4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) Everything that is humble is (4’) Everything that is humble is

virtuous.virtuous. Objection #1Objection #1: (4’) isn’t true!: (4’) isn’t true! Objection #2Objection #2: Jackson’s Argument.: Jackson’s Argument.

ParaphraseParaphrase

(4) Humility is a virtue.(4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) Everything that is humble is (4’) Everything that is humble is

virtuous.virtuous. (5) Red is a color.(5) Red is a color. (5’) Everything that is red is colored.(5’) Everything that is red is colored. (6) Red is an extension.(6) Red is an extension. (6’) Everything that is red is extended.(6’) Everything that is red is extended.

Jackson’s ArgumentJackson’s Argument

1)1) (6’) isn’t an acceptable paraphrase (6’) isn’t an acceptable paraphrase of (6). of (6).

2)2) If (6’) isn’t an acceptable If (6’) isn’t an acceptable paraphrase of (6), then (4’) is not paraphrase of (6), then (4’) is not an acceptable paraphrase of (4).an acceptable paraphrase of (4).

3)3) (4’) is not an acceptable paraphrase (4’) is not an acceptable paraphrase of (4). of (4).

Jackson’s ChallengeJackson’s Challenge

(4) Humility is a virtue.(4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) ???(4’) ??? (7) Red is a color.(7) Red is a color. (7’) ???(7’) ??? (8) Red is more like orange than (8) Red is more like orange than

blue.blue. (8’) ??? (8’) ???


A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] about properties. [Commonsense] Rephrase Rephrase




A.A. There are some true statements There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] about properties. [Commonsense]


C.C. Properties do not exist. [Theory] Properties do not exist. [Theory] RethinkRethink

TerminologyTerminology

Something is a Something is a concreteconcrete object ifff it is object ifff it is located in space.located in space.

Something is an Something is an abstractabstract object iff it is not object iff it is not concrete (i.e., it isn’t located in space). concrete (i.e., it isn’t located in space).

Something is a Something is a universaluniversal iff it can be iff it can be multiply instantiated.multiply instantiated.

Something is a Something is a particularparticular iff it is not a iff it is not a universal (i.e., it cannot be multiply universal (i.e., it cannot be multiply instantiated).instantiated).

The Ontological SquareThe Ontological Square

UniversalUniversal ParticularParticular

AbstracAbstractt

Abstract Abstract UniversalUniversal

Abstract Abstract ParticularParticular

ConcretConcretee

Concrete Concrete UniversalUniversal

Concrete Concrete ParticularParticular

The Ontological SquareThe Ontological Square

UniversalUniversal ParticularParticular

AbstracAbstractt

Abstract Abstract UniversalUniversal

((PlatonismPlatonism))

Abstract Abstract ParticularParticular

((Set NominalismSet Nominalism))

ConcretConcretee

Concrete Concrete UniversalUniversal

((AristotelianismAristotelianism))

Concrete Concrete ParticularParticular

((Trope Trope NominalismNominalism))

Ontological DecisionsOntological Decisions

PROPERTIES

UNIVERSAL

PLATONIC ARISTOTELIAN TROPESSETS

PARTICULARS

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