Individuality

Jorge J.E. Gracia is Professor of Philosophy at SUNY Buffalo.

• Preface Prolegomena: Nomenclature and Problems Nomenclature ProblemsIntension of 'Individuality'Extension of 'Individuality'Ontological Status of IndividualityPrinciple of IndividuationDiscernibility of IndividualsReference to Individuals Concluding Remarks 1. Intension of 'Individuality' What Individuality Is NotIndividuality and IndivisibilityIndividuality and DistinctionIndividuality and DivisionIndividuality and IdentityIndividuality and Impredicability Individuality as Noninstantiability 2. Extension of 'Individuality' Realism: Nothing that Exists Is IndividualTranscendental RealismImmanent RealismAppeal and Weakness of Realism Nominalism: Everything that Exists Is IndividualEssential NominalismDerivative NominalismAppeal and Weakness of Nominalism Eclecticism: Some Things that Exist Are Individual and Some Are NotBare Particular ViewCharacterized Particular ViewBundle ViewAppeal and Weakness of Eclecticism Extension of 'Individuality'Preliminary ClarificationsTo What Things Do Individuality and Universality Extend?Do Individuals and Universals Exist?Summary 3. Ontological Status of Individuality Medieval Controversy Contemporary ReformulationWrong Ontological InterpretationsIndividuality as Mode 4. Principle of Individuation Individuation of SubstancesBundle Theory of IndividuationAccidental Theories of IndividuationEssential Theories of IndividuationExtrinsic Theories of Individuation Individuation of FeaturesSubstance Theory of the Individuation of FeaturesFeature Theory of the Individuation of Features Individuation of Other Entries Principle of IndividuationThe Problem and the Alternatives RevisitedThe Existential Theory of Individuation 5. Discernibility of Individuals Discernibility of Individual SubstancesSpatio-Temporal Theory of Individual Substance DiscernibilityBundle Theory of Individual Substance DiscernibilitySui Generis Theory of Individual Substance Discernibility Discernibility of FeaturesDiscernibility of Features through SubstanceDiscernibility of Features through Features Principle of Identity of Indiscernibles 6. Reference to Individuals: Proper Names, Definite Descriptions, and Indexicals Proper NamesReference View of Proper NamesDescriptivist View of Proper NamesCausal View of Proper NamesThreefold View of Proper Names Definite Descriptions Indexicals Assessment: A Metaphysics of Individuality NotesBibliographyIndex of AuthorsIndex of Subjects

"Gracia has a greater command of both the literature and the intricacies of the problem than any living philosopher. He leads the reader step by step through the vast terrain of the topic without being side-tracked. This is not only a knowledgeable book, but a well-crafted one." — Jude Dougherty, The Catholic University of America