1st Edition

The Metaphysics of Powerful Qualities Powerful Categoricalism and the Laws of Nature

By Vassilis Livanios Copyright 2025
214 Pages
by Routledge

214 Pages
by Routledge

214 Pages
by Routledge

This book examines the metaphysical issues regarding the powerful qualities view in all its various forms. The author also develops and defends his own version of the powerful qualities view, which he calls powerful categoricalism. In recent years, the powerful qualities view about the nature of properties has received considerable attention in the philosophical literature. The core tenet of... Read more

1. Introduction 

Part 1: Powerful Qualities 

2. Meet the Powerful Qualities 

3. The Identity Theory 

4. The Grounding View 

5. The Compound View 

6. The Higher-Order Properties Theory and the Dual Aspect Account 

Part 2: Powerful Categoricalism 

7. The Dualist Model of Laws and Powers 

8. Powerful Categoricalism: Foundations 

9. Powerful Categoricalism: Nomic Relations, Laws, and Governance 

10. Powerful Categoricalism: Α Defence

Biography

Vassilis Livanios is Assistant Professor at the University of Cyprus with research interests in the metaphysics of properties and laws. He is the author of Science in Metaphysics: Exploring the Metaphysics of Properties and Laws (2017).

“[The] book is a valuable contribution to recent attempts to formulate a compelling alternative to Martin and Heil’s identity theory and, so, to make good on the attractions of the powerful qualities view. The book is rich with ideas and arguments that will be of interest to anyone already familiar with this project, while also providing an excellent introduction to the project for anyone new to it.”

Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews