proprieti

Proprieti is a term used in contemporary ontology to denote a class of properties that are central to an object's identity and persistence. In some theories, proprieti are intrinsic properties that an object must possess to remain the same through time and across possible worlds, and they are not reducible to mere causal relations or external dependencies. The concept is contrasted with contingent properties and with extrinsic properties that depend on relations to other objects.

Origin and etymology: The term proprieti was introduced by philosopher Elena Marius in the early 2020s in discussions of persistence and constitution. It derives from Latin proprietas, meaning ownership or property, signaling an intimate tie between the object and its defining features.

Definitions and usage: There is no universally agreed definition of proprieti. Some accounts treat proprieti as necessary intrinsic properties that ground individuation; others view them as a cluster of features jointly sufficient to determine persistence, without enumerating all such features. In practice, proprieti are used to explain why objects maintain identity in the face of qualitative change.

Debates and criticism: Proponents argue that proprieti help distinguish identity-grounding features from changeable accidents. Critics contend that the category is vague, overlaps with established notions of essence or intrinsic constitution, and may be reducible to already existing terms.

See also: essentialism, object theory, persistence, intrinsic properties, grounding.