Essay 9-Property

Introduction

In essay 7 we have discussed the definition and concept of an object and in essay 6 we have established that the presence of conscious experience or phenomena proves the existence of a separate object as stated by essay 8. The power of essay 6 is that we are allowed to create observations, which are clear experiences of reality and descriptions of the contents of that experience. As such in this essay, based on the observation of the complexity of an object, we are to investigate and explore the concept of property.

Property

The concept of property is based on the complexity of an object. We observe that all objects are undoubtedly complex, they consist of various elements or parts. Even the simplest point, will in further discussion, be proven to have multiple aspects or parts to their nature or definition. These parts, which in combination forms the object, are individually called properties.

The property is the constituent or the component of an object. Let us take the example of a football. A football is usually illustrated as being patterned with black and white hexagons, as such that is what we will use. A football can be said to have mass, texture, shape, colour, and size among other things. As such it is consists of the properties of a specific mass, texture, shape, colour, and size. All of those properties along with much more combine into the specific object of a football.

A property also affects the complete phenomenon of the object. Phenomenally, we know that objects transmit to us complex phenomenon reflecting its own phenomenon. The complex phenomenon can be analysed into simpler phenomena which reflects the properties. The phenomenon of light mass, the phenomenon of smallness (compared to the human being), the phenomenon of a ball, the phenomenon of leathery or plastic texture, and the phenomenon of black and white all join together into the complete phenomenon of a football.

Property and Object

A property and an object are actually philosophically equivalent, they are both objects, which are unique and limited parts of reality. Let us examine whether the property is an object or not. By logic, a property is part of an object which is part of reality, therefore a property must be a part of reality as well. Properties are by essence unique, because by an essential concept of numbers, plurality implies difference. Complexity means not only being consisted of many parts, but it also means to be consisted of many different parts.

A single property is of course limited, we can establish which are included in a certain property, and which are not included within that property. As such it is clear that properties are objects as well. The only difference between a property and an object is that an object is a collection of properties while a property is a part of an object. However, a property can be seen as an object irrespective of its part in another object, and an object can very well be a property of another more complex object. Let us say that when you look at an object, you look down to the collection of its properties, but when you look at a property, you look up to the roof of the object which covers that property.

This means that properties can be complex as well, but if we examine between an object and a property which is part of that object, we will see that the object is always more complex than the property. Assume an object A which has property B, this property B consists of an X amount of sub-properties. However, B is not the only property A has, there is a Y amount of other properties other than B. Therefore, the total elements or properties A has is X+Y while B only has X properties. Mathematically, X+Y will always be larger than X, with the condition that both X and Y are not equal to 0.

With such conception we are able to form redefinitions of an object based on its relationship with its properties and also definitions of property. An object is, “A collection of certain properties arranged in a certain manner to form that specific object,” or, “A collection of simpler objects arranged in a certain manner to form that specific object.” While the property can be defined as, “A component or constituent of an object which affects the total phenomenon of the object,” or, “An object which joins with other objects to form a new object.”

Component and Property

In regular language, property is often equated with “characteristic” which is differentiated with component. Characteristic often refers to objects such as colour, mass, speed, shape, size, texture, among other things. Components often refers to objects such as the physical material and constituents of the object. However, in the philosophical language, both concepts are equivalent, as the property is by definition, a component of an object.

It is true that the translation to regular language might be weird in a regular perspective, but in a philosophical perspective it is valid and true. Let us take the example of a red car, the car’s characteristic might be its redness, and one of its components might be its engine. In philosophy, both redness and the engine have the same relationship with the car, that is as a component of the car.

It is true that if we say, “The car has a property of machine,” it seems just a bit weird. Though it is nonetheless weird to say, “The car has a property of red.” However, to say such sentences are equivalent to saying, “The car consists of the property of ... and other property,” or, “One of the properties of the car is ....” Philosophical language does not need to be completely the same with regular language, it just has to be able to be understood from the perspective of regular language.

Despite the philosophical equivalence, there is a real difference between the physical or material components of an object with its abstract characteristics. However, that is a topic of discussion for another essay. In philosophy, the abstract and the material are not differentiated completely, and there is still a logical equivalence between component and characteristic, that is as part of the object.

Conclusion

In this essay we obtain 4 philosophical statements. First, “An object is a collection of certain properties arranged in a certain manner to form that specific object.” Second, “An object is a collection of simpler objects arranged in a certain manner to form that specific object.” Third, “A property is a component or constituent of an object which affects the total phenomenon of the object.” And fourth, “A property is an object which joins with other objects to form a new object.” In the next essay we shall be discussing a new observation, that is the observation of change.

This essay corresponds to the Indonesian version.