Individuality

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

• PrefaceProlegomena: Nomenclature and Problems NomenclatureProblemsIntension of 'Individuality'Extension of 'Individuality'Ontological Status of IndividualityPrinciple of IndividuationDiscernibility of IndividualsReference to IndividualsConcluding Remarks1. Intension of 'Individuality' What Individuality Is NotIndividuality and IndivisibilityIndividuality and DistinctionIndividuality and DivisionIndividuality and IdentityIndividuality and ImpredicabilityIndividuality as Noninstantiability2. Extension of 'Individuality' Realism: Nothing that Exists Is IndividualTranscendental RealismImmanent RealismAppeal and Weakness of RealismNominalism: Everything that Exists Is IndividualEssential NominalismDerivative NominalismAppeal and Weakness of NominalismEclecticism: Some Things that Exist Are Individual and Some Are NotBare Particular ViewCharacterized Particular ViewBundle ViewAppeal and Weakness of EclecticismExtension of 'Individuality'Preliminary ClarificationsTo What Things Do Individuality and Universality Extend?Do Individuals and Universals Exist?Summary3. Ontological Status of Individuality Medieval ControversyContemporary ReformulationWrong Ontological InterpretationsIndividuality as Mode4. Principle of Individuation Individuation of SubstancesBundle Theory of IndividuationAccidental Theories of IndividuationEssential Theories of IndividuationExtrinsic Theories of IndividuationIndividuation of FeaturesSubstance Theory of the Individuation of FeaturesFeature Theory of the Individuation of FeaturesIndividuation of Other EntriesPrinciple of IndividuationThe Problem and the Alternatives RevisitedThe Existential Theory of Individuation5. Discernibility of Individuals Discernibility of Individual SubstancesSpatio-Temporal Theory of Individual Substance DiscernibilityBundle Theory of Individual Substance DiscernibilitySui Generis Theory of Individual Substance DiscernibilityDiscernibility of FeaturesDiscernibility of Features through SubstanceDiscernibility of Features through FeaturesPrinciple of Identity of Indiscernibles6. 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 NamesDefinite DescriptionsIndexicalsAssessment: 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