How Things Might Have Been

Download or read book How Things Might Have Been written by Penelope Mackie and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2006-04-27 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Penelope Mackie's book is a novel treatment of an issue central to much current work in metaphysics: the distinction between the essential and accidental properties of individuals. Mackie challenges widely held views, and arrives at what she calls 'minimalist essentialism', an unorthodox theory according to which ordinary individuals have relatively few interesting essential properties. Mackie's clear and accessible discussions of issues surrounding necessity and essentialism mean that the book will appeal as much to graduate students as it will to seasoned metaphysicians.