Imitation and Actuality

Abstract

I. What was an imitation K might become an actual thing of kind K. Consider, for example, an existing thing-let us refer to it by the proper name 'Ol'--which at some time (t1) is not an object of kind K but is an imitation of an object of kind K. Let it be an open question whether 01 is or isn't an imitation of a particular individual K. The object could be a stage prop, for example: let us suppose that it is made of tissue paper, cardboard and paint and is an imitation dog-kennel. At some later time, t2, 01 is modified and becomes a somewhat better imitation of a dogkennel, though not a dog-kennel. Call the result of modifying 01, 02. And so on, through a series of such modifications, each resulting in something which is bothl a better imitation of and closer to being an actual dog-kennel than the previous imitation. Finally, the result of modifying object On-1 is object On which is an actual dog-kennel. For the sake of brevity, I will suppose that n= 3. The following propositions are now true: