Accidental properties
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Accidental properties | |
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| Type | Metaphysical concept |
| Field | Metaphysics |
| Core idea | Properties an entity has contingently rather than necessarily |
| Assumptions | Entities can vary without losing identity; not all properties are essential |
| Status | Foundational concept |
| Related | Essentialism; Identity; Contingency; Modality |
Accidental properties are properties that an entity has contingently rather than necessarily. An accidental property is one that an entity can gain or lose without ceasing to be the entity that it is.
The distinction between accidental and essential properties plays a central role in metaphysics, especially in discussions of identity and essentialism.
Core idea
At its core, an accidental property is a feature that does not define an entity’s identity. An entity may possess different accidental properties across time or across possible circumstances while remaining the same entity.
This distinguishes accidental properties from essential properties.
Accidental and essential properties
Accidental properties are contrasted with essential properties, which an entity must have in order to be what it is. Losing an essential property would entail loss of identity, while losing an accidental property would not.
This distinction structures modal reasoning about change and persistence.
Accidental properties and contingency
Accidental properties are typically contingent. An entity has an accidental property in the actual world, but there are alternative circumstances in which it lacks that property.
This contingency links accidental properties to possibility and contingency.
Accidental properties and modality
Within modal frameworks, an accidental property is one that an entity has in some possible worlds but not in all. This contrasts with essential properties, which are fixed across all relevant possibilities.
Modal analysis provides a formal way to represent this distinction.
Examples
Common examples of accidental properties include location, posture, occupation, or ownership. An entity can change these properties without ceasing to exist as the same entity.
The classification of a property as accidental may depend on context.
Accidental properties and explanation
Explanations of change often appeal to accidental properties. Many changes involve alteration of accidental features rather than transformation of essential identity.
This distinction helps clarify what kind of change is being explained.
Accidental properties and science
In scientific contexts, many observed properties of systems are accidental relative to underlying structures. Variation in surface features may be contingent on conditions rather than essential constitution.
Recognizing this helps distinguish noise from structure.
Disagreement and flexibility
There is disagreement over which properties count as accidental. Different metaphysical frameworks draw the essential–accidental boundary differently.
This flexibility reflects deeper theoretical commitments.
Accidental properties and identity across worlds
Accidental properties play a key role in discussions of identity across possible worlds. An entity may differ in accidental respects across alternatives while remaining the same entity.
This possibility underwrites modal claims about what an entity could have been like.
Limits and debate
Some philosophers question whether the essential–accidental distinction is sharp or well-defined. Others argue that the distinction is indispensable for understanding identity and modality.
The debate remains unresolved.
Status
Accidental properties are a foundational concept in metaphysics. Their analysis clarifies how entities can change, vary, and persist without loss of identity.