Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T16:39:34.176Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Why neither diachronic universalism nor the Argument from Vagueness establishes perdurantism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Ofra Magidor
Ofra Magidor*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
*
*Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

One of the most influential arguments in favour of perdurantism is the Argument from Vagueness. The argument proceeds in three stages: The first aims to establish atemporal universalism. The second presents a parallel argument in favour of universalism in the context of temporalized parthood (‘diachronic universalism’). The third argues that diachronic universalism entails perdurantism. I offer a novel objection to the argument. I show that on the correct way of formulating diachronic universalism the principle does not entail perdurantism. On the other hand, if diachronic universalism is formulated as Sider (incorrectly) proposes, the argument fails to establish his principle, and thus perdurantism.

Keywords

Argument from Vaguenessuniversalismdiachronic universalismperdurantismendurantismfour dimensionalismthree dimensionalism
Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Philosophy , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , February 2015 , pp. 113 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Journal of Philosophy 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Balshov, Y. 2005. “On Vagueness, 4D, and Diachronic Universalism.”; Australasian Journal of Philosophy 83: 523–531.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cotnoir, A. 2013. “Strange Parts: The Metaphysics of Non-Classical Mereologies.”; Philosophy Compass 8: 834–845.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cotnoir, A. 2014. “Does Universalism Entail Extensionalism?”; Nous 48: 1–12.Google Scholar
Hawthorne, J. 2006. Metaphysical Essays. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Korman, D. 2010. “The Argument from Vagueness.”; Philosophical Compass 5: 891–901.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koslicki, K. 2003. “The Crooked Path from Vagueness to Four-Dimensionalism.”; Philosophical Studies 114: 107–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magidor, O. forthcoming. “Endurantism vs. Perdurantism?: A Debate Reconsidered.”; forthcoming in Nous.Google Scholar
Miller, K. 2005. “Blocking the Path from Vagueness to Four-Dimensionalism.”; Ratio 18: 317–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sider, T. 2001. Four-Dimensionalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sider, T. 2003. “Against Vague Existence.”; Philosophical Studies 114: 135–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simons, P. 1987. Parts: A Study in Ontology. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Varzi, A. 2007. “Promiscuous Endurantism and Diachronic Vagueness.”; American Philosophical Quarterly 44: 181–189.Google Scholar
Varzi, A. 2009. “Universalism Entails Extensionalism.”; Analysis 69: 599–604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar