[SydPhil] The Ugly Duckling Theorem: Ben Blumsen

[Kristie Miller]

Dear all

Monday's current projects will be Ben Blumsen to talk about The Ugly Duckling Theorem.


Abstract: The premises of the following argument are plausible, but its conclusion is absurd: (1) The number of (possible) predicates satisfied by two different particulars is a constant. (2) The number of (possible) predicates satisfied by two different particulars is the number of properties they have in common. (3) The degree of resemblance between two different particulars is a function of the number of properties they have in common. (4) Therefore, the degree of resemblance between two different particulars is a constant. Since the argument is valid and the conclusion is false, one of the premises must be rejected. But the first premise, dubbed by Satosi Watanabe the "theorem of the ugly duckling", is a theorem, so either the second premise must be rejected, by adopting a sparse conception of properties and denying that there is a property corresponding to every (possible) predicate, or the third premise must be rejected, by denying that degree of resemblance is a function of number of properties in common. In this paper, I discuss which of these options is the best resolution of the problem.


As usual we will be in the common room from 1.00-2.30.


Best


Kristie


Dr. Kristie Miller
University of Sydney 
Senior Research Fellow
School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry and
The Centre for Time
The University of Sydney
Sydney Australia
Room 407, A 14

kmiller at usyd.edu.au
kristie_miller at yahoo.com
Ph: +612 9036 9663
http://www.kristiemiller.net/KristieMiller2/Home_Page.html












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