A Problem for Fine Individuation and Artist Essentialism Cover Image

A Problem for Fine Individuation and Artist Essentialism
A Problem for Fine Individuation and Artist Essentialism

Author(s): Jeffrey Goodman
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Helsinki University Press
Keywords: ontology; individuation; essentialism; art

Summary/Abstract: Fine Individuation says it is impossible for distinct people who are not collaborating on a work of art to produce one and same artwork. This is an intra-world thesis, but is necessarily true, if true at all. Author Essentialism says it is impossible for someone else to produce one and the same work of art produced by some actual artist. This is an alleged necessary truth regarding cross-world relations. Both theses have been vigorously defended. I argue here that both are false, but for reasons that are entirely novel.

  • Issue Year: L/2013
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 139-148
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: English