Eliminating Identity: A Reply to Wehmeier

Abstract

Wehmeier [2012] argues that identity is a problematic relation and that we can eliminate all mention of it. In this note I show, to the contrary, that if identity is problematic then Wehmeier has not given us the means to dispense with it.

Keywords:

• Wittgenstein
• identity
• logical atomism
• quantification
• Wehmeier

Notes

¹ All otherwise unidentified page references in this Discussion Note are to Wehmeier [2012].

² To be clear, WAP entails that is mortal and is not mortal has no arity, not that it has an arity of zero. According to WAP, a 0-ary relation is a relation that can relate zero objects. Let's say that when a relation relates some objects, that relation and those objects together form a fact. In this terminology, a 0-ary relation is a relation which can form a fact without any additional objects; that is, a 0-ary relation is itself a fact. The relation is mortal and is not mortal, on the other hand, can never be used to form a fact, with or without the help of any ancillary objects.

³ Thanks to an anonymous referee for suggesting this line of response.

⁴ I would like to thank Daniel Brigham, Tim Button, Adam Caulton, Owen Griffiths, Lukas Skiba, Adam Stewart-Wallace, Kai Wehmeier and two anonymous referees. Thanks also to the Analysis Trust for their studentship.