PHL232H1 Lecture : May 16 - Identity.docx
Document Summary
Qualitative identity: things with qualitative identity share properties, so things can be more or less qualitatively identical. Poodles and great danes are qualitatively identical because they share the property of being a dog, but two poodles are more qualitative identical because they are both poodles. Numerical identity: requires absolute, or total, qualitative identity and can only hold between a thing and itself. The word same is used sometimes to indicate that what is named twice should be counted once (numerical sameness), as in the morning star and the evening star are the same planet . Property: properties, in short, are attributes or characteristics that a thing possesses. Intrinsic property: a thing has such a property in virtue of what it is, e. g. mass. Extrinsic property: a thing has such a property in virtue of its interaction in the world, e. g. being to the left of x.
