Properties

Key Concepts in Philosophy (Polity)

by Douglas Edwards

The world is populated with many different objects, to which we often attribute we say, for example, that grass is green, that the earth is spherical, that humans are animals, and that murder is wrong. We also take it that these properties are things in their own there is something in which being green, or spherical, or an animal, or wrong, consists, and that certain scientific or normative projects are engaged in uncovering the essences of such properties. In light of this, an important question what kind of things should we take properties themselves to be?

In Properties , Douglas Edwards gives an engaging, accessible, and up-to-date introduction to the many theories of properties available. Edwards charts the central positions in the debate over properties, including the views that properties are universals, that properties are constructed from tropes, and that properties are classes of objects, and assesses the benefits and disadvantages of each. Attempts to deny the existence of properties are also considered, along with ‘pluralist’ proposals, which aim to accommodate the different kinds of properties that are found in various philosophical debates.

Properties is the ideal introduction to this topic and will be an invaluable resource for scholars and students wishing to learn more about the important roles that properties have played, and continue to play, in contemporary philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy, Metaphysics

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Douglas Edwards is a Professor of Philosophy. His areas of interest include metaphysics, philosophy of language and metaethics.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.