Debating powers: where the real puzzle lies

TY - JOUR

T1 - Debating powers

T2 - where the real puzzle lies

AU - Kimpton-Nye, Samuel

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2024/2/21

Y1 - 2024/2/21

N2 - Stephen Mumford and Alexander Bird disagree about which properties are powers and, correspondingly, about the extent of the philosophical work to which powers may be put. Unfortunately, there is an important respect in which these authors are talking past each other and so the reason for their disagreement remains obscured. I highlight what has gone wrong in their recent exchange, attempt to clear up the confusion and pinpoint the true source of their disagreement. My hope is to redirect the efforts of these authors and their followers onto more pressing foundational issues in the metaphysics of powers.

AB - Stephen Mumford and Alexander Bird disagree about which properties are powers and, correspondingly, about the extent of the philosophical work to which powers may be put. Unfortunately, there is an important respect in which these authors are talking past each other and so the reason for their disagreement remains obscured. I highlight what has gone wrong in their recent exchange, attempt to clear up the confusion and pinpoint the true source of their disagreement. My hope is to redirect the efforts of these authors and their followers onto more pressing foundational issues in the metaphysics of powers.

KW - essence

KW - explanation

KW - necessity

KW - Powers

KW - properties

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85186422916&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/0020174X.2024.2320316

DO - 10.1080/0020174X.2024.2320316

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85186422916

SN - 0020-174X

JO - Inquiry (United Kingdom)

JF - Inquiry (United Kingdom)

ER -