Thatóság

Thatóság is a term used in Hungarian philosophy to denote the metaphysical notion known in English as haecceity or “thisness.” It refers to the aspect of a thing that makes it the particular object it is, beyond any of its qualitative properties such as shape, color, or size. In this sense, thatóság answers the question of what distinguishes this specific object from all other objects with similar properties.

Etymology and historical background place thatóság in the tradition of medieval scholastic philosophy. The concept was introduced to explain individuation by emphasizing a primitive, non-qualitative feature that cannot be captured by general properties alone. The most influential figure associated with haecceity is Duns Scotus, who argued that haecceities provide the seed of individuation for individual substances, helping to account for how one thing can be numerically distinct from another even if they share all the same properties.

Philosophical role and debates commonly distinguish thatóság from essence or quiddity. Haecceity is intended to be the particular, non-qualitative aspect that endows an entity with its individual identity, potentially across possible worlds. Critics have argued that haecceities reify an obscure primitive, while supporters contend that some form of non-qualitative individuating principle is necessary for a complete account of identity and ontology. Contemporary discussions often relate haecceity to issues in constitution, identity over time, and possible-world semantics, sometimes integrating it with or replacing it by alternative theories of individuation.

See also: haecceity, haecceitas, individuation, essence, quiddity, identity, Duns Scotus.

References in Hungarian philosophy and philosophy of language discuss thatóság as a translation of haecceity and its implications for metaphysical analysis.