Essential bundle theory and modality

Bundle theories identify material objects with bundles of properties. On the traditional approach, these are the properties possessed by that material object. That view faces a deep problem: it seems to say that all of an object’s properties are essential to it. Essential bundle theory attempts to o...

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Main Author: Jago, Mark
Format: Article
Published: Springer 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52128/
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author Jago, Mark
author_facet Jago, Mark
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description Bundle theories identify material objects with bundles of properties. On the traditional approach, these are the properties possessed by that material object. That view faces a deep problem: it seems to say that all of an object’s properties are essential to it. Essential bundle theory attempts to overcome this objection, by taking the bundle as a specification of the object’s essential properties only. In this paper, I show that essential bundle theory faces a variant of the objection. To avoid the problem, the theory must accept the contingency of identity. I show how this can be achieved in a coherent and well-motivated way, a way that isn’t available to traditional bundle theories.
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spelling nottingham-521282020-05-04T19:38:44Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52128/ Essential bundle theory and modality Jago, Mark Bundle theories identify material objects with bundles of properties. On the traditional approach, these are the properties possessed by that material object. That view faces a deep problem: it seems to say that all of an object’s properties are essential to it. Essential bundle theory attempts to overcome this objection, by taking the bundle as a specification of the object’s essential properties only. In this paper, I show that essential bundle theory faces a variant of the objection. To avoid the problem, the theory must accept the contingency of identity. I show how this can be achieved in a coherent and well-motivated way, a way that isn’t available to traditional bundle theories. Springer 2018-06-01 Article PeerReviewed Jago, Mark (2018) Essential bundle theory and modality. Synthese . ISSN 1573-0964 Essence; Modality; Bundle theory; Essential bundle theory; Material objects; Contingent identity; Counterpart theory; Metaphysics https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-018-1819-3 doi:10.1007/s11229-018-1819-3 doi:10.1007/s11229-018-1819-3
spellingShingle Essence; Modality; Bundle theory; Essential bundle theory; Material objects; Contingent identity; Counterpart theory; Metaphysics
Jago, Mark
Essential bundle theory and modality
title Essential bundle theory and modality
title_full Essential bundle theory and modality
title_fullStr Essential bundle theory and modality
title_full_unstemmed Essential bundle theory and modality
title_short Essential bundle theory and modality
title_sort essential bundle theory and modality
topic Essence; Modality; Bundle theory; Essential bundle theory; Material objects; Contingent identity; Counterpart theory; Metaphysics
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52128/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52128/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52128/