Intrinsic Properties and Natural Relations

Abstract

Assuming that we find the concept of naturalness coherent, we shall no doubt wish to allow that certain relations count as highly natural. Many of us will think that various spatio-temporal and causal relations-is the cause of, is spatially separated from, is later than-are highly natural. Some of us will think that various basic semantic and mentalistic relations-refers to, attends to, believes ....--are highly natural. Some will think that various logicomathematical relations-being the successor of, being identical to...-are highly natural. Consider a highly natural relation R. Given the existence of R, there will also be a monadic property of bearing R to something. Call this the existential derivative of the relation. If R is highly natural, the existential derivative may not be quite as natural. But it will be pretty natural. For example: if loving is a highly natural relation, then being a lover is a pretty natural property. Some relations can only hold between a thing and itself. Other relations can only hold between a thing and something that is neither itself nor part of itself. Other relations are more flexible: Consider the relation attending: One might attend to oneself. One might attend to part of oneself. One might attend to something that is neither oneself nor part of oneself. The existential derivative of the attending relation is thus independent of accompaniment. The existence of a contingent thing that is wholly distinct from me is compatible with my attending to something and also with my failing to. The absence of a wholly distinct contingent thing is similarly compatible with both the presence and absence of the existential derivative. Some existential derivatives may be independent of accompaniment in less obvious ways: Perhaps the causal relation is independent in this way because it is possible to be self-caused, or else because it is possible for a thing to cause part of itself. Perhaps distance relations are independent because it is possible for a thing to be bilocated and hence at a distance from itself. It need not be our concern here to figure out which existential derivatives are