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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 A WORLD OF A PARTICULARS: A TROPE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Michael Cooper LaBossiere, B.A., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 1993 Dissertation Committee: Approved by George S. Pappas Tamar Rudavsky Marshall W. Swain Adviser Department of Philosophy To Barbara ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I express sincere appreciation to Professor George Pappas for his guidance and assistance in completing this work. Thanks also goes to the other members of my advisory committe. Professors Tamar Rudavsky and Marshall Swain for their suggestions and comments as well as to the helpful and friendly people of the Graduate School. To my best friend and fiance, Barbara Bender, I offer sincere thanks for her patience, support, and helpful comments. I l l VITA April 27,1966 ....................................................................Bora - Bangor, Maine 1987 ......................................................................................B.A., Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio 1988 - present .....................................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Philosophy, The Ohio State University 1 ^ 1 ..................................................................................... M.A., The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio HELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Philosophy Studies in: Metaphysics and Social & Political Philosophy IV TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION..............................................................................................................................ü ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................................................................üi VITA............................................................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALS....................................................................... 1 1.1 The Problem of Universals.........................................................................1 1.2 The Problem of Sameness........................................................................ 9 1.3 The Problem of Difference............................. 14 1.4 Particulars and Universals ...................................................................... 15 1.5 The Legitimacy and Importance of the Problem................................... 19 II. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALS....................35 2.1 Introduction................................................................................................. 35 2.2 Class Nominalism.....................................................................................36 2.3 Resemblance Nominalism....................................................................... 43 2.4 Transcendent Universals ................................................ 55 2.5 Immanent Universals .................................................................................65 III. THE ONTOLOGY OF TROPE-RESEMBLANCE THEORY................................78 3.1 Introduction................................................................................................. 78 3.2 Tropes, Substances, and Substrata.......................................................81 3.3 Problems with Individuating Substances..............................................92 3.4 Bundle Theories and Compressence..................................................... 97 3.5 Space-Time................................................................................................100 3.6 Keith Campbell: Fields and Quasi Tropes.......................................... 105 V 3.7 Solutions to the Boundary Problem and the Nature of Tropes — 116 3.8 A Solution to the Porbiem of the Individuation of Substances.... 121 3.9 A Solution to the Problem of Order......................................................127 3.10 Conclusion.............................................................................................. 131 IV. TROPES........................................................................................................................133 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................133 4.2 Why Accept Tropes?...............................................................................134 4.3 Armstrong's Swapped Tropes Objection............................................135 4.4 The Multiple Instance Objection........................................................... 138 4.5 Armstrong's Laws of Nature Objection...............................................143 4.6 Hochberg's First and Second Argument............................................. 157 4.7 Hochberg's Third and Fourth Arguments.......................................... 162 4.8 Moreland's Abstract Reference Objection............................................167 4.9 Uninstantiated Tropes..............................................................................168 4.10 Disjunctive, Conjunctive, and Negative Tropes.............................. 172 4.11 Determinables..........................................................................................179 4.12 Tropes......................................................................................................183 4.13 Conclusion.............................................................................................. 185 V. RESEMBLANCES AND THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALS..........................186 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................... 186 5.2 Resemblance.............................................................................................185 5.3 Problems with Resemblance...................................................................190 5.4 Goodman's Imperfect Communties.....................................................199 vi 5.5 Goodman's Seventh Stricture...............................................................203 5.6 Tropes Resemblance..............................................................................214 5.7 Complex Entities and Resemblance ......................................................217 5.8 Conclusion................................................................................................ 221 5.9 Final Remarks.......................................................................................... 222 APPENDIX............................................................................................................................. 225 BIBUOGRAPHY.................................................................................................................. 238 Vll CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALS AND PHILOSOPHIC LEGITIMACY 1.1 The Problem of Universals The problem of universals is, in fact, not a single problem. Rather, it encompasses two main problems, the problem of sameness and the problem of difference. Proposed solutions to the problem of sameness are aimed at providing an account of what it is for two tokens to be of the same type. Proposed solutions to the problem of difference are aimed at providing an account of what it is for two tokens to be two individual tokens. Each of these two problems, in turn, heads up a hierarchy of sub problems. In the two sections that follow the nature of these two problems as well as their legitimacy and importance will be discussed. Before a detailed discussion of the sub-problems is entered into, it is appropriate to present a general overview of the work that is to follow. The main thesis of this work is that the most plausible solution to the problem of universals is a trope-resemblance