Department Colloquium: Ted Sider

"Plenitude and Derivative Ontology"

Abstract:  Principles of plenitude for material objects (such as: "for every function from possible worlds to parts, there exists a corresponding material object") are attractive because they avoid arbitrariness and worldly vagueness.  Since arbitrariness and worldly vagueness also threaten in the social realm, principles of plenitude are attractive there too.  But these principles should not be based on the part-whole relation; they must take a different form.  Investigation of this form leads to questions about the nature of derivative ontology in general, and a re-evaluation of the status quo on material objects.

Ted Sider is a Distinguished Professor from Rutgers University.