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    It is not possible for there to be two individuals that a... — Carmelics
    Home/Personal Identity
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    It is not possible for there to be two individuals that are entirely alike or differ only numerically.

    Modality & PossibilityPersonal Identity
    ?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.Saint Thomas Aquinas held this to be true of intelligences (angels).
      ?

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    • 2.The author holds that this principle applies generally to all individuals, not only to intelligences.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Max Black's two-sphere thought experiment posits a symmetrical universe containing exactly two qualitatively identical iron spheres with no discernible differences.
      ?

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    • 2.If such a universe is coherently conceivable without contradiction, then two individuals differing only numerically is metaphysically possible.
      ?

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    • 3.Leibniz's principle conflates epistemic indiscernibility with metaphysical identity, smuggling in a verificationist assumption not independently justified.
      ?

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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Haecceitism holds that distinct possible worlds can differ solely in which individual occupies a given qualitative role, entailing bare numerical difference is possible.
      ?

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    • 2.David Kaplan and Roderick Chisholm defended individual essences grounded in primitive thisness, not in qualitative properties, making purely numerical difference coherent.
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    • 3.If haecceity grounds individuation independently of qualitative content, then Leibniz's argument from sufficient reason fails to establish the Identity of Indiscernibles as a necessary truth.
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    Topics

    Personal IdentityModality & Possibility

    Connections

    2 topics

    Natural Theology1 linkedDivine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    David Kaplan and Roderick Chisholm defended individual essences grounded in prim...Haecceitism holds that distinct possible worlds can differ solely in which indiv...If haecceity grounds individuation independently of qualitative content, then Le...If such a universe is coherently conceivable without contradiction, then two ind...
    +4 moreShow less
    Leibniz's principle conflates epistemic indiscernibility with metaphysical ident...Max Black's two-sphere thought experiment posits a symmetrical universe containi...Saint Thomas Aquinas held this to be true of intelligences (angels).

    Similar

    There cannot be two individuals that are exactly alike.93%If two persons are neither identical nor distinct, they cannot both st...88%Any two existing things must be either identical or distinct, so if tw...83%A person who experienced different events would not be the same indivi...82%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: leibniz-modal
    View source passageHide passage
    I have said that all human events can be deduced not simply by assuming the creation of a vague Adam, but by assuming the creation of an Adam determined with respect to all these circumstances, chosen from among an infinity of possible Adams. This has given Arnauld the occasion to object, not without reason, that it is as difficult to conceive of several Adams, taking Adam as a particular nature, as it is to conceive of several mes. I agree, but when speaking of several Adams, I was not taking A
    Extraction notes

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

    Details

    The author holds that this principle applies generally to all individuals, not o...
    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit