The Distinctness of Objects Near and Far

ABSTRACT Philosophers working on the metaphysics of persistence typically do not extend their views to the distinctness of objects at a single time. I argue that we can provide criteria to distinguish objects across time if and only if we can provide criteria to distinguish objects at a time. Furthermore, I endorse a stronger claim. If either diachronic or synchronic distinctness facts have an analysis, then they have a common analysis. In other words, we should analyze diachronic and synchronic distinctness facts in the same way.