Abstract

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.

Highlights

  • What are material objects, metaphysically speaking? We might try to reduce them to some other metaphysical category of being

  • According to essential bundle theory, that bundle specifies the essence of the material object

  • My aim in this paper is to evaluate whether essential bundle theory genuinely escapes the problem

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Summary

Introduction

Metaphysically speaking? We might try to reduce them to some other metaphysical category of being. It’s far less clear that fundamental science has material objects as part of its ontology. Essential bundle theory (Barker and Jago 2017; Jago 2016) reduces material objects to bundles of properties, as any bundle theory does. According to essential bundle theory, that bundle specifies the essence of the material object. I’ll begin by setting up a version of the modal problem, as it affects traditional bundle theory I’ll show how a variant of the problem hits essential bundle theory Counterpart semantics has a very natural interpretation in terms of essential bundle theory I’ll briefly indicate how far this approach takes us towards a general analysis of modality within essential bundle theory I’ll briefly indicate how far this approach takes us towards a general analysis of modality within essential bundle theory (Sect. 8)

The modal problem for bundle theories
Essential bundle theory
The necessity of identity
A model of contingent identity
Modality as similarity?
Justifying contingent identity
Modality in essential bundle theory
Conclusion
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