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The primary properties?

S H Vollmer1

  • 1Department of Philosophy, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA. Vollmer@uab.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|June 11, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study challenges the distinction between primary and secondary properties in science. It argues that both property types are condition-dependent, questioning traditional philosophical accounts of their differences.

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Metaphysics
  • Epistemology

Background:

  • Science distinguishes between primary properties (e.g., shape, motion) and secondary properties (e.g., color, temperature).
  • Traditional accounts of this distinction lack consensus and face significant philosophical challenges.
  • Existing arguments often rely on questionable assumptions about resemblance and observation conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate traditional philosophical accounts of the distinction between primary and secondary properties.
  • To demonstrate the flaws in arguments that differentiate these properties based on observational conditions.
  • To re-examine the basis of the primary/secondary property distinction in light of new philosophical considerations.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Philosophical analysis of existing arguments regarding property distinctions.
  • Deconstruction of traditional accounts based on resemblance and relational dependence.
  • Examination of the role of concepts like 'force' in property categorization.

    • Main Results:

    • The assumption that secondary properties alone are condition-dependent is flawed, as primary properties also depend on observation conditions.
    • The traditional account based on resemblance between ideas and reality is implausible.
    • The relational account of primary properties is more robust but faces challenges, particularly concerning the concept of force.

    Conclusions:

    • Current philosophical arguments for distinguishing primary and secondary properties are inadequate.
    • A more nuanced understanding of property dependence on observational conditions is required.
    • The concept of 'force' presents a significant, under-explored problem for traditional property distinctions in philosophy of science.