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Haecceitism and counterpart theory

Authors :
De, Michael
LS Theoretische filosofie
OFR - Theoretical Philosophy
LS Theoretische filosofie
OFR - Theoretical Philosophy
Source :
Theoria, 88(6), 1163. DPHT Stockholm
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Wiley, 2022.

Abstract

David Lewis argues at length against haecceitism and goes as far as claiming that, on a certain counterpart-theoretic construal, the doctrine is unintelligible or inconsistent. I argue, contra Lewis, that both qualitative and non-qualitative counterpart theory are in fact committed to haecceitism, but that this commitment is harmless since what is really at stake for a counterpart theorist such as Lewis are more general supervenience claims that are independent of haecceitism. I further argue that Lewis's formulation of the doctrine suffers from two important defects that, once remedied, free counterpart theory of its haecceitistic commitments. Along the way I discuss an objection to the effect that the cheap substitute is inconsistent in the presence of an 'actually' operator. This paper therefore brings together important critical discussion on haecceitism and counterpart theory.

Details

ISSN :
17552567 and 00405825
Volume :
88
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Theoria
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....c3e40fcbe3c50c0b94681f85af7ebe0a
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/theo.12432