1. Ontology: The Case for Properties

2. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory]

3. Do Holes Exist? A.There are some true statements about holes. [Commonsense] B.If there are true statements about holes, then holes exist. [Quine] C.Holes do not exist. [Theory]

4. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory]

5. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] Rephrase B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory]

6. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory] Rethink

7. Do Properties Exist? 1.Socrates has wisdom. 2.Plato and Socrates have wisdom in common. 3.Plato and Socrates have something in common. 4.Humility is a virtue.

8. Do Properties Exist? 1.Socrates has wisdom.  Wisdom is had by Socrates. 2.Plato and Socrates have wisdom in common.  Wisdom is had by both Plato and Socrates. 3.Plato and Socrates have something in common.  There is something that Plato and Socrates have in common. 4.Humility is a virtue.  Humility is a virtue.

9. Do Properties Exist? 1.Socrates has wisdom.  Socrates is wise. 2.Plato and Socrates have wisdom in common.  Plato and Socrates are both wise. 3.Plato and Socrates have something in common.  There are some things that resemble each other; Plato and Socrates are among them. 4.Humility is a virtue.  ???

10. Paraphrase: Examples Ryan: I’m going to be late getting home for dinner - I’m so dead! Ryan: I’m going to be late getting home for dinner - I’m so dead! Hud: That’s strange – you don’t look dead. Ryan: No, no. I’m not literally dead – I just mean that my wife is going to kill me, so I’ve got to hurry up and get home. Hud: That’s strange – you don’t look dead. Ryan: No, no. I’m not literally dead – I just mean that my wife is going to kill me, so I’ve got to hurry up and get home. Hud: You’re wife’s going to kill you?! Then why are you in such a hurry to get home? Hud: You’re wife’s going to kill you?! Then why are you in such a hurry to get home? Ryan: No, no, no. She’s not really going to kill me – she’ll just be upset at me… That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! Ryan: No, no, no. She’s not really going to kill me – she’ll just be upset at me… That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!

11. Paraphrase: Examples Ryan: The average family has 1.8 children. Ryan: The average family has 1.8 children. Hud: 1.8 children?! Now there’s something you don’t see every day! I’d like to meet this family – where do they live? Hud: 1.8 children?! Now there’s something you don’t see every day! I’d like to meet this family – where do they live? Ryan: No, no, no – there isn’t really any such thing as the average family. All I meant was that families, on average, have 1.8 children. If you add up all the kids and divide by the number of families, you get 1.8. Ryan: No, no, no – there isn’t really any such thing as the average family. All I meant was that families, on average, have 1.8 children. If you add up all the kids and divide by the number of families, you get 1.8.

12. Paraphrase: Examples Ryan: Socrates has wisdom. Ryan: Socrates has wisdom. Hud: Socrates has wisdom, huh? Well anything that’s good enough for Socrates is good enough for me – where can I get my hands on some of this wisdom stuff? Hud: Socrates has wisdom, huh? Well anything that’s good enough for Socrates is good enough for me – where can I get my hands on some of this wisdom stuff? Ryan: No, no, no. There isn’t really any such thing as wisdom. All I meant was that Socrates was wise. Ryan: No, no, no. There isn’t really any such thing as wisdom. All I meant was that Socrates was wise.

13. Paraphrase (4) Humility is a virtue. (4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) Everything that is humble is virtuous. (4’) Everything that is humble is virtuous. Objection #1: (4’) isn’t true! Objection #1: (4’) isn’t true! Objection #2: Jackson’s Argument. Objection #2: Jackson’s Argument.

14. Paraphrase (4) Humility is a virtue. (4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) Everything that is humble is virtuous. (4’) Everything that is humble is virtuous. (5) Red is a color. (5) Red is a color. (5’) Everything that is red is colored. (5’) Everything that is red is colored. (6) Red is an extension. (6) Red is an extension. (6’) Everything that is red is extended. (6’) Everything that is red is extended.

15. Jackson’s Argument 1)(6’) isn’t an acceptable paraphrase of (6). 2)If (6’) isn’t an acceptable paraphrase of (6), then (4’) is not an acceptable paraphrase of (4). 3)(4’) is not an acceptable paraphrase of (4).

16. Jackson’s Challenge (4) Humility is a virtue. (4) Humility is a virtue. (4’) ??? (4’) ??? (7) Red is a color. (7) Red is a color. (7’) ??? (7’) ??? (8) Red is more like orange than blue. (8) Red is more like orange than blue. (8’) ??? (8’) ???

17. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] Rephrase B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory]

18. Do Properties Exist? A.There are some true statements about properties. [Commonsense] B.If there are true statements about properties, then properties exist. [Quine] C.Properties do not exist. [Theory] Rethink

19. Terminology Something is a concrete object ifff it is located in space. Something is a concrete object ifff it is located in space. Something is an abstract object iff it is not concrete (i.e., it isn’t located in space). Something is an abstract object iff it is not concrete (i.e., it isn’t located in space). Something is a universal iff it can be multiply instantiated. Something is a universal iff it can be multiply instantiated. Something is a particular iff it is not a universal (i.e., it cannot be multiply instantiated). Something is a particular iff it is not a universal (i.e., it cannot be multiply instantiated).

20. The Ontological Square UniversalParticular Abstract Abstract Universal Abstract Particular Concrete Concrete Universal Concrete Particular

21. The Ontological Square UniversalParticular Abstract Abstract Universal (Platonism) Abstract Particular (Set Nominalism) Concrete Concrete Universal (Aristotelianism) Concrete Particular (Trope Nominalism)

22. Ontological Decisions PROPERTIES UNIVERSAL PLATONICARISTOTELIANTROPESSETS PARTICULARS