A Note on Unrestricted Composition. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCarthy, Timothy
• Is Part Of: Thought. Volume 4:Number 3(2015:Sep.)
• Page Start: 202
• Page End: 211
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Logic -- Periodicals; Knowledge, Theory of -- Periodicals; 105
• DOI: 10.1002/tht3.174
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2161-2234

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tht3174-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="tht3174-para-0001">I discuss a general limitative consequence of the unrestricted mereological composition thesis. The unrestricted composition thesis, which is roughly the assertion that every plurality of objects possesses a fusion or sum, is shown to be in conflict with general existence‐conditions for certain categories of mereologically non‐composite objects. The conclusion is that the unrestricted composition thesis, which is a maximizing principle about what aggregates exist, places sharp limits on what unaggregated items can exist.</p> </abstract>