Abstract
Does a commitment to mereological universalism automatically bring along a commitment to the controversial doctrine of mereological extensionalism—the view that objects with the same proper parts are identical? A recent argument suggests the answer is ‘yes’. This paper attempts a systematic response to the argument, considering nearly every available line of reply. It argues that only one approach—the mutual parts view—can yield a viable mereology where universalism does not entail extensionalism.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 121-132 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Noûs |
Volume | 50 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 19 Mar 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2016 |