1924 – 2008
C.B. Martin (Charles Burton Martin, 1924–2008) was an Australian analytic metaphysician best known for his work on dispositions, properties, and powers. He developed a decisive critique of the conditional analysis of dispositions and proposed a 'two-sided' view of properties as simultaneously dispositional and qualitative. His later collaboration with John Heil extended this framework into a comprehensive ontology of mind and nature.
Refuted the conditional analysis of dispositions with the 'finkish disposition' counterexample
Developed the 'powerful qualities' view: properties are simultaneously dispositional and categorical
Introduced the concept of 'mutual manifestation partners' for reciprocal dispositional relations
Contributed to truthmaker theory and the metaphysics of negative truths
Co-authored 'The Mind in Nature' (2008) with John Heil, synthesizing powers ontology with philosophy of mind