Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Properties

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Abstract

We have some of our properties purely in virtue of the way we are. (Our mass is an example.) We have other properties in virtue of the way we interact with the world. (Our weight is an example.) The former are the intrinsic properties, the latter are the extrinsic properties. This seems to be an intuitive enough distinction to grasp, and hence the intuitive distinction has made its way into many discussions in philosophy, including discussions in ethics, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology and philosophy of physics. Unfortunately, when we look more closely at the intuitive distinction, we find reason to suspect that it conflates a few related distinctions, and that each of these distinctions is somewhat resistant to analysis.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Archive
PublisherCenter for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford University
EditionFall 2023 Edition
Publication statusPublished - 18 Sept 2023

Publication series

NameStanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
PublisherStanford University
ISSN (Print)1095-5054

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