Book contents
- Causal Powers and the Intentionality Continuum
- Causal Powers and the Intentionality Continuum
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Why Powers?
- Part II What Are Powers Like?
- Chapter 3 Powers from the Inside
- Chapter 4 A Defense of Physical Intentionality
- Chapter 5 A Defense of Physical Intentionality
- Chapter 6 Powers from the Inside
- Chapter 7 Powers from the Outside
- Chapter 8 Nature’s Intentionality Continuum
- Works Cited
- Index
Chapter 7 - Powers from the Outside
Systems of Powers and the Appearance of Qualities
from Part II - What Are Powers Like?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2022
- Causal Powers and the Intentionality Continuum
- Causal Powers and the Intentionality Continuum
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Why Powers?
- Part II What Are Powers Like?
- Chapter 3 Powers from the Inside
- Chapter 4 A Defense of Physical Intentionality
- Chapter 5 A Defense of Physical Intentionality
- Chapter 6 Powers from the Inside
- Chapter 7 Powers from the Outside
- Chapter 8 Nature’s Intentionality Continuum
- Works Cited
- Index
Summary
This chapter explores the metaphysics of systems of powers, which contain no qualities and have at least two powers in a dynamic relation. In order to account for the reality of higher-level properties in the macro world and everyday experience, whether they are powers or qualities, powers must work together. This chapter first delineates different kinds of multilevel systems of properties, specifying how powers and qualities might be related across different systems. Then, building on the idea of powers holism introduced in Chapter 6, this chapter characterizes what it means for powers to form a unified system. Next, the possibility of ontologically emergent properties, particularly qualities, appearing out of a system of powers, is explored. But this assumes that there are genuine qualities, whereas this chapter ultimately suggests that what appear to be genuine qualities are quasi-qualities.
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- Causal Powers and the Intentionality Continuum , pp. 165 - 184Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022