Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Having atomic number 79 is necessarily a necessary condit... — Carmelics
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Philosophy of Language
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Having atomic number 79 is necessarily a necessary condition for being gold, but not a sufficient condition for being gold.

    Modality & PossibilityPhilosophy of Language
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Something superficially like gold in appearance but lacking atomic number 79 would not be gold.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If a property must be present for a thing to belong to a natural kind, that property is a necessary condition for membership in that kind.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.The necessity of a condition does not entail its sufficiency.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.On Putnam's own causal-historical account, 'gold' rigidly designates the actual stuff in our environment, not any single intrinsic property like atomic number.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If the reference of 'gold' is fixed by causal chains to samples rather than to atomic number 79, then atomic number 79 is a discovered co-extensional truth, not a metaphysically prior necessary condition.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Therefore, the modal status of atomic number 79 as a necessary condition depends on a descriptivist reading of kind terms that Putnam's framework explicitly rejects.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Dupré's promiscuous realism holds that natural kind membership is context-dependent and that no single property carves nature at its unique joints.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If multiple equally legitimate classificatory schemes exist—metallurgical, functional, isotopic—then atomic number 79 may be necessary only relative to one scheme, not absolutely necessary across all valid schemes.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A condition that is necessary only relative to a particular classificatory interest cannot bear the weight of mind-independent metaphysical necessity the claim requires.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Topics

    Philosophy of LanguageModality & Possibility

    Related

    A condition that is necessary only relative to a particular classificatory inter...Dupré's promiscuous realism holds that natural kind membership is context-depend...If a property must be present for a thing to belong to a natural kind, that prop...If multiple equally legitimate classificatory schemes exist—metallurgical, funct...
    +5 moreShow less
    If the reference of 'gold' is fixed by causal chains to samples rather than to a...On Putnam's own causal-historical account, 'gold' rigidly designates the actual ...Something superficially like gold in appearance but lacking atomic number 79 wou...The necessity of a condition does not entail its sufficiency.Therefore, the modal status of atomic number 79 as a necessary condition depends...

    Similar

    One cannot know a priori that gold does not have atomic number 79, yet...93%Something superficially like gold in appearance but lacking atomic num...92%If the laws of nature are necessary, the melting point of gold is nece...78%The melting point of gold is a nomic consequence of gold's essence.72%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: natural-kinds
    View source passageHide passage
    For example, in his discussion of gold, Kripke argues that something that is superficially like gold in appearance but lacks the property of having atomic number 79, would not be gold. This establishes that, of necessity, having atomic number 79 is necessary for being gold, but does not show that possession of this property is sufficient for being gold. Similarly, argues Kripke, if we were to discover a population of animals with the appearance of tigers but which turn out to be reptiles, we wou
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit