Events, Continuants and Diachronic Identity

Abstract

In this chapter I want to return to the discussion of Quine’s four-dimensional conception of continuants. The arguments I have given so far would, I think, leave Quine quite unconcerned. I do not mean, by this, that he could refute them, but that he would be willing to consent to most of the conclusions reached so far. In fact the most important task of this chapter will be to isolate the point of disagreement between Quine and Geach, whose views we have so far seen reason to favour. When we have isolated this point of disagreement, however, we shall see that our arguments up to now are not sufficient to decide between the opposing positions. Later on I shall state another argument which does so.