Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Journal | Volume | Article

173803

Structural universals as structural parts

toward a general theory of parthood and composition

Thomas Mormann

pp. 209-227

Abstract

David Lewis famously argued against structural universals since they allegedly required what he called a composition "sui generis" that differed from standard mereological composition. In this paper it is shown that, although traditional Boolean mereology does not describe parthood and composition in its full generality, a better and more comprehensive theory is provided by the foundational theory of categories. In this category-theoretical framework a theory of structural universals can be formulated that overcomes the conceptual difficulties that Lewis and his followers regarded as unsurmountable. As a concrete example of structural universals groups are considered in some detail.

Publication details

Published in:

(2010) Essays on non-empiricist rigorous philosophy. Axiomathes 20 (2-3).

Pages: 209-227

Full citation:

Mormann Thomas (2010) „Structural universals as structural parts: toward a general theory of parthood and composition“. Axiomathes 20 (2-3), 209–227.