<p>I develop a theory of naturalness according to which properties are natural relative to categories of objects. This new theory avoids a problem that, I argue, afflicts standard theories: whereas standard theories allow for only one ordering of properties, considerations of the similarity and dissimilarity made by some negative properties—like <i>having no parts</i>, <i>having no members</i>, <i>having no determinate mass</i>, <i>reflecting no visible light</i>—require admitting more than one. Additionally, I argue that my view accounts for genuine categories, category mistakes, and negation as privation, and that it accounts for a distinction between characterizing and non-characterizing fundamentality.</p>

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Negative natural properties, categories, and mistakes

  • Thiago Xavier de Melo

摘要

I develop a theory of naturalness according to which properties are natural relative to categories of objects. This new theory avoids a problem that, I argue, afflicts standard theories: whereas standard theories allow for only one ordering of properties, considerations of the similarity and dissimilarity made by some negative properties—like having no parts, having no members, having no determinate mass, reflecting no visible light—require admitting more than one. Additionally, I argue that my view accounts for genuine categories, category mistakes, and negation as privation, and that it accounts for a distinction between characterizing and non-characterizing fundamentality.