Synopses & Reviews
Occasions of Identity is an exploration of timeless philosophical issues about persistence, change, time, and sameness. André Gallois offers a critical survey of various rival views about the nature of identity and change, and puts forward his own original theory. He supports the idea of occasional identities, arguing that it is coherent and helpful to suppose that things can be identical at one time but distinct at another. Gallois defends this view, demonstrating how it can solve puzzles about persistence dating back to the Ancient Greeks, and investigates the metaphysical consequences of rejecting the necessity and eternity of identities.
Review
"...superbly organized and includes a comprehensive bibliography and helpful index...recommended for graduate students, faculty, and researchers."--Choice
"Andre Gallois's Occasions of Identity is a detailed, well-written presentation and defense of one attempt to solve many of the recently much discussed puzzles in the metaphysics of material objects. It is engaging not only for Gallois's ingenious attempt to defend his view that objects can be 'occasionally identical'--identical at one time but not another--but for his discussion throughout of the puzzles and of alternative solutions. Gallois does a fine job of keeping the motivations for a position, whether his own or others', in view while working out details and responding to objections. Even where one disagrees, there is excellent food for thought and discussion here."--Philosophical Review
Review
"...superbly organized and includes a comprehensive bibliography and helpful index...recommended for graduate students, faculty, and researchers."--
ChoiceTable of Contents
I: THE PROBLEM AND SOME SOLUTIONS 1. Puzzle Cases
2. Solutions to the Puzzle Cases
II: OCCASIONAL IDENTITIES
3. Occasional Identities: A Preliminary Account
4. Counting Amoebae
5. Extending the Occasional Identity Thesis
6. Defending Contingent Identities
7. Perry and Myro on Occasional Identities
III: ALTERNATIVE ACCOUNTS
8. Identity Strict and Loose
9. Indeterminate Identities
10. The Four-Dimensional World
Bibliography
Index