Strawson, P. F. (1971). Individuals: An essay in descriptive metaphysics. London: Methuen. (Original work published 1959).
Last edited by: Mark Grimshaw-Aagaard 2024-02-21 09:38:08
Having shown that it is possible to conceive of a sound in a No-Space world, Strawson needs to deal with the idea of a sound unperceived by one person but perceived by another because the sound (and the other) is in a different place. Strawson admits that this particular of place cannot be contained within the particular of temporality, the particular of place must be stored somewhere with the sound and so he looks for an "analogy of space" that directly describes distance if not direction (the two components of an auditory spatial particular). One wonders why he just does not throw in the towel and admit immediately the impossibility of aspatial sounds (this, after all, is the aim of his thought experiment). He is also constrained by assuming the existence of only two dimensions within which particulars can be 'housed': time and space.